Transcript Social theories II EBR 2007

Using theories II
2009
Assignment guide
Malcolm Golightley
Aims
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To go over the basic thinking
that lies behind the assignment
questions
To provide another guide to
completing the assignment
To give you the opportunity to
ask for clarification of the task
A reminder!
The intention is that on completion of this unit
you will be able to:
 Recognise and identify alternative
theoretical perspectives on rational
practice.
 Demonstrate knowledge and
understanding of both the emergence and
development of rationality as a key
intellectual strategy of modern society.
 Critically examine professional practice and
its justification.
 Critically examine the claims for knowledge
in both ‘Modernity’ and ‘Postmodernity’
The assignment
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The unit will be assessed by one 3,000 word essay by
addressing :It is possible to examine the development of
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social work in terms of a variety of influences but what do
these mean for the future of social work as a profession?
You should discuss this in relation to the criteria and at
least one of the following:
1) A critical appraisal of the capacity of National and Local
Performance Indicators to represent the efficacy of social
work practice
2) A critical evaluation of theoretical accounts that best
explain what social work is and which best inform your
practice
3) A critique of the view that Radical Social Work was
always just a fantasy and certainly very difficult to do in
practice, particularly in the light of the political context since
the 1980s.
In answering this question you need to address the
sources of knowledge, the impact of post modernity
and modernism and alternatives to rational practice.
Your work should reflect the justification for
professional practice.
You work must include reference to Sheppard
Make sure you answer the
question!
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Understand what each question means in
the context of this assignment.
Good starting point is to look at what social
work does, how it arose and the situation
now.
knowledge in both ‘Modernity’ and ‘Postmodernity’
rationality as a key intellectual strategy of modern
society.
alternative theoretical perspectives on rational
practice.
professional practice and its justification as a
discipline.
Sapere Aude
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We want to know what you think
in other words there is room for
you to be creative
We want to hear your voice as
the professionals of the future
Just make sure it is reasoned
and supported-there is no right
answer!!!
Social work?
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Example of technical rationality?
What is the social dimension?
What knowledge base does social
work draw upon?
Does social work have any enduring
themes?
Is social work a technical activity or a
profession with a claim to a discipline
in it own right?
Is Illich’s view valid –disabling
professions?
Where does our knowledge come
from?
 Enlightenment-rationality was adopted as the
philosophical method of the Enlightenment with its
promise of liberation from the dogmas of religion
and such progress should serve the interests of
freedom and liberation. (Grayling AC-What is Good
p143-14)
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Modernism-the arrival of the idea of knowledge
based practice-supposes that social work has a way
of viewing the world that is superior, in relevant
areas to those who who do not have access to that
knowledge base.
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Post Modernism-we have moved beyond
modernism with the emphasis moving away from
universal truths to a lack of confidence about the
key role of science to a more fragmented view of
the world and acceptance that the calculation of risk
is the basis for action. No one persons knowledge is
better than another's?
rationality
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Rationality
 An orientation to reality which weighs up the
means and ends of action in a straightforward
and pragmatic manner.
Formal Rationality
 A type of decision making which is subject to
calculation that goes into an action to increase
its chance of success. Its decisive feature is that
it eliminates an orientation to values because
they are non-technical. Rationality is formal
when problems are solved by the application of
technical criteria.
Substantive Rationality
 A type of decision making which is subject to
values and an appeal to ethical norms.
Substantive rationality does not take into
account the nature of outcomes.
Weber argues that formal rationality had replaced
substantive rationality, because bureaucracy
stresses a technical orientation to means and ends.
This is the origins of ‘technical rationality
Rationality and Social work
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Managerial technicality-managerial control
vis-à-vis professional autonomy. Government
appears to want professional accountability to rise
yet wants performance indicators to rule!
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Technical instrumentalism-control by
procedure or rule creating the effect that social
workers are just technicians
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Routinising of the tasks-the rise of
competence check lists-creates impression that jobs
can be reduced in complexity and done by less
qualified and lower paid workforce
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Risk management –hierarchy of rules or
thresholds
Who do social workers work with?
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Central anchor is social exclusionsocial work is at the space between
the marginalised and the mainstream
Social construction of social work-the
relationship between the expert and
the service user (expert by
experience)
Interdisciplinary work-where is our
unique knowledge base?
alternative theoretical perspectives on
rational practice.
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Is social work a science or an art form
What do social workers do?
Is social work art? If so what part does intuition,
interpretivism and wisdom play?
Is social work science. If so how adequate is
evidence based practice? Is it largely a tool of
management to ration scarce resources? Is it a
series of technical activities and reduced to ticking
of competencies?Are risks now the name of the
game and as such a matter for experts and thus for
scientific legitimation? Has regulation penetrated
every aspect of organisational life?
Is being wise practitioner really your goal?
Is it all common sense?
Justification for professional
practice?
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Is social work the opiate of the
people?
Does industrialisation and hence the
modern world need a professional
workforce to deal with the casualties
of society?
Has the increased fragmentation of
society resulted in family patterns
changing?
Has the public become private and
private become public?
professional practice and its
justification.
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Why a profession and not a technical
activity? What are the common points across all
professions? Length of training, university led,
recognised knowledge base, legally protected title
and self regulation? Contrast this with other
occupations e.g Police Officer; Probation Officer,
draughtsman.
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What is social work’s territory?social work
has a practice paradigm and is practice led-does
this make social work distinctive?
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Code of Practice-how we behave is down to us
within a framework of behaviours that covers both
personal and professional aspects-the start of selfregulation (hallmark of a profession)
Morality and modernity
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If the foundations of modernity are based upon
new ways of thinking what is it that provides
the reference point for our morality?
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“The
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development of modern society entailed the risk of
moral impoverishment….the inevitable decline of
unquestioned faith eroded a source which could provide
foundations for moral behaviour”. (Peter Wagner p 33 in
Webb S(2006) Social Work in a Risk Society, Palgrave)
Post modernity allows for the self cancellation of imposed
values and standards.
But…is social work permeated with a strong sense of
ethics?
Will technical expertise and actuarial science come to
dominate social work training?
Where is the sense of duty?
A discipline?
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What are the defining characteristics of a discipline?-a
discipline is an academic form describing an area of
knowledge which is its concern and there must be
elements beyond merely responding to policy changes and
initiatives? Practice led-whatever knowledge we use
must be consistent with practice (unlike theory driven
disciplines) e.g task centred casework,systems theory
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Practice Paradigm-a paradigm is like a world view-if
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social is a discipline there must be a commonality of
perspective.This has three elements:
1.core of objectivism-unlike a postmodernist perspectivesocial work has an agreed focus e.g. child protection or
mental health-agreed values
2.limited voluntarism- social workers must have some
autonomy in respect of key aspects e.g. decision making
3. Consensus view of society-social work operates at a
micro social level-not about changing the world but help
people to better manage their lives
So far so good!
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Now you need to pick at least one of
the three themes and weave that into
your assignment
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A critical appraisal of the capacity
of National and Local Performance
Indicators to represent the efficacy of
social work practice
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We looked at this in detail last week-is managerialism
the enemy of professionalism? What is wrong with
trying to be more productive anyway? Does
managerialism stem from science and hence is the
son of modernism?
2nd theme
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A critical evaluation of theoretical
accounts that best explain what
social work is and which best
inform your practice
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This could be actual methods of
intervention or theoretical texts that
have influenced you or ‘grand theory.
What is theory anyway? Does theory
stem from the search for what works
and perhaps from science? What is
theory in a post modern world?
3rd theme
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A critique of the view that Radical
Social Work was always just a
fantasy and certainly very difficult
to do in practice, particularly in
the light of the political context
since the 1980s.
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Why is it difficult in practice-what does this tell you
about the context or locations where social work is
practised? Who has determined the social work
education curricula? What is the role of the GSCC?
Conclusions
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Chose your assignment carefully
There is no one way to answer
We want to hear your voice
Use the assignment guide
Read the journal articles
Fix up a tutorial next week with your
seminar tutor if that will help.