Jacobsen, Michael Hviid

Nissen, Maria Appel

English

    Aalborg UniversitetSociology and Social Work ResearchChallenging Knowledge about Social ProblemsNissen, Maria Appel; Jacobsen, Michael HviidPublication date:2012Document VersionEarly version, also known as pre-printLink to publication from Aalborg UniversityCitation for published version (APA):Nissen, M. A., & Jacobsen, M. H. (2012). Sociology and Social Work Research: Challenging Knowledge aboutSocial Problems. Abstract from Sociology and Social Work, Oslo, Norway.General rightsCopyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright ownersand it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.            ? Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research.            ? You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain            ? You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ?Take down policyIf you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us at vbn@aub.aau.dk providing details, and we will remove access tothe work immediately and investigate your claim.Downloaded from vbn.aau.dk on: November 30, 2020International conference: Sociology and Social Work: Theory and Practice, Oslo, May 30-31, 2012  Abstract   Maria Appel Nissen, PhD. Sociology, Associate Professor, maan@socsci.aau.dk Michael Hviid Jacobsen, Professor Sociology, mhj@socsci.aau.dk Aalborg University, Department of Sociology and Social Work  Kroghstræde 7, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark  Sociology and Social Work Research Challenging knowledge about social problems   Despite differences – some say substantial, others superficial – in scientific traditions, one of the obvious relations between sociology and social work research can be characterized as a mutual interest in the social, and by using sociological theories and methods in the practice of research, both sociology and social work research face the challenge of understanding and ex-plaining the social. This challenge is related to the complex forms and processes of social real-ities, but also to the ‘reservoir’ of sociological theories. Social realities challenge sociological knowledge, and in particular when they appear to us as what we perceive as unanticipated so-cial phenomena and/or social consequences difficult to explain. When given a sociological ex-planation, such phenomena can be termed social problems. Following this, another relation between sociology and social work is a mutual interest in social problems as a social phenom-enon and, in particular, within social work research, as a practical problem of social action and change. The aim of our paper is to outline a potential approach to understanding the intricate relationship between sociology and social work research as a relation of knowledge constitut-ed by a mutual interest in investigating the social, in approaching social problems as practical problems and thus facing the same challenges in terms of sociological understanding and expla-nation. This approach is outlined in two steps. The first is a critical reflection on the book Un-derstanding the Social – Sociology and Social Work (Jacobsen & Pringle 2008), as well as the contributions to this book. The book explores the interdependencies between sociology and social work from various perspectives and fields of research. However, we argue that there is a need to focus more specifically on the mutual interest in social problems as a practical prob-lem which requires sociological understanding and explanation. The second is an actual at-tempt to outline a sociological approach to social problems as practical problems which re-quires sociological understanding and explanation. This is an approach which stresses the liq-uid, complex, unanticipated and sometimes paradoxical forms of and shaping of social prob-lems. Eventually such an approach will be useful for social work as a sensitive and reflective approach and guide to social problems. 

Sociology and Social Work Research:Challenging Knowledge about Social Problems

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Sociology and Social Work Research:Challenging Knowledge about Social Problems

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