CRITICAL SOCIAL WORKCRITICAL SOCIAL WORK

SOCW4003 Direct Methods of PracticeSOCW4003 Direct Methods of Practice

20102010

Linda SmithLinda Smith

If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favour freedom, and yet deprecate agitation, are profess to favour freedom, and yet deprecate agitation, are

(wo)men who want crops without plowing up the group. (wo)men who want crops without plowing up the group. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want

the ocean without the awful roar of its waters. This the ocean without the awful roar of its waters. This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one;

or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what people will never did and it never will. Find out just what people will submit to and you have found out the exact amount of submit to and you have found out the exact amount of

injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them; and injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them; and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are proscribed by blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are proscribed by

the endurance of those whom they oppress. the endurance of those whom they oppress.

(Bulhan, 1985:276)(Bulhan, 1985:276)

Introduction to critical thinking Introduction to critical thinking (Garvin and Seabury, 1997:44)(Garvin and Seabury, 1997:44)

* critical thinking around various constructs* critical thinking around various constructs* lack of attention to differences, oppression * lack of attention to differences, oppression * social group membership: age, race, sexual * social group membership: age, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, race, social class, disability orientation, ethnicity, gender, race, social class, disability * ‘the other’ and ourselves* ‘the other’ and ourselves* problems arise - absence attention to this knowledge* problems arise - absence attention to this knowledge* power differences, discrimination, transformative work* power differences, discrimination, transformative work* group membership, how reinforced/denigrated - social, * group membership, how reinforced/denigrated - social, political historical contexts political historical contexts* therapeutic experiences harmful if not culturally compatible or * therapeutic experiences harmful if not culturally compatible or reinforce power imbalances reinforce power imbalances* positionality (group identities, experiences) + standpoint * positionality (group identities, experiences) + standpoint (outsider/insider status) influence expectations + development (outsider/insider status) influence expectations + development of critical consciousness of critical consciousness

Description of critical thinkingDescription of critical thinking (Kirst-Ashman, 1997)(Kirst-Ashman, 1997)

• scrutiny of what is stated as true, and conclusion scrutiny of what is stated as true, and conclusion

• formulation of opinion/conclusion; focuses on the formulation of opinion/conclusion; focuses on the

“ “process of reasoning”process of reasoning”

• howhow people think about the truth, analyse and people think about the truth, analyse and

formulate conclusionsformulate conclusions

• question what others take for grantedquestion what others take for granted

• “ “triple A approach”: Ask; Assess; Assert triple A approach”: Ask; Assess; Assert

• apply to any belief, statement, assumption, apply to any belief, statement, assumption, reasoning, reasoning,

experience claimed as trueexperience claimed as true

• enhances self-awareness; detection distorted thinkingenhances self-awareness; detection distorted thinking

• help identify propaganda; distinguish intentionally help identify propaganda; distinguish intentionally

deceptive claims; choose words carefullydeceptive claims; choose words carefully

Critical consciousnessCritical consciousness

““process of continuous self-reflection coupled process of continuous self-reflection coupled with action to discover and uncover how we, our with action to discover and uncover how we, our

approaches to social work practice and our approaches to social work practice and our environment have been and continue to be shaped environment have been and continue to be shaped

by societal assumptions and power dynamics” by societal assumptions and power dynamics”

(Garvin and Seabury, 1997:46)(Garvin and Seabury, 1997:46)

Critical consciousnessCritical consciousness

• deepening critical consciousness skills toward socially just deepening critical consciousness skills toward socially just societysociety• understanding of critical consciousness - work of Paulo understanding of critical consciousness - work of Paulo FreireFreire• experiencing, analyzing, reflecting on life, history, experiencing, analyzing, reflecting on life, history, environment environment • “ “becoming subject rather than object of own history”becoming subject rather than object of own history”• object to subject, victim to social agent: “conscientisation”object to subject, victim to social agent: “conscientisation”• routes to critical consciousness depending on histories, routes to critical consciousness depending on histories, how raised, ‘insider’/‘outsider’ characteristics how raised, ‘insider’/‘outsider’ characteristics • use knowledge from one category to understand another use knowledge from one category to understand another • social group membership affects access to societal social group membership affects access to societal resources + mobility in societyresources + mobility in society

THE POLITICS OF HELPINGTHE POLITICS OF HELPING

““The two men… were psychologists who put to practice their The two men… were psychologists who put to practice their professions in ways that made history and affected the lives of professions in ways that made history and affected the lives of

millions… Verwoerd was a staunch white supremist, a Nazi millions… Verwoerd was a staunch white supremist, a Nazi sympathizer, an avowed anti-Semite, and a leading architect of sympathizer, an avowed anti-Semite, and a leading architect of apartheid… Fanon, in contrast, was a relentless champion of apartheid… Fanon, in contrast, was a relentless champion of

social justice, who, when barely 17… volunteered for the forces social justice, who, when barely 17… volunteered for the forces attempting the liberation of France from Nazi occupation” attempting the liberation of France from Nazi occupation”

Bulhan (1985, p.3)Bulhan (1985, p.3)

Hook, D. (Ed). (2004). Hook, D. (Ed). (2004). Introduction to critical psychologyIntroduction to critical psychology. Cape Town: UCT . Cape Town: UCT PressPress

• Helping is political in itself – as an oppressive instrument or as a Helping is political in itself – as an oppressive instrument or as a means of progressive politicsmeans of progressive politics

• Power relations include relations of control, authority and Power relations include relations of control, authority and subordinationsubordination

• Helping (psychology, social work) is always powerful, always Helping (psychology, social work) is always powerful, always leads to relationships of powerleads to relationships of power

• Knowledge, expertise, practice always includes some form of Knowledge, expertise, practice always includes some form of power relationshippower relationship

WHAT IS CRITICAL THEORY?WHAT IS CRITICAL THEORY?

Early critical theory is broadly Marxist. It is the account of the Early critical theory is broadly Marxist. It is the account of the social forces of domination that takes its theoretical activity to be social forces of domination that takes its theoretical activity to be practically connected to the object of its study… Critical theory is practically connected to the object of its study… Critical theory is not merely descriptive, it is a way to instigate social change by not merely descriptive, it is a way to instigate social change by

providing knowledge of the forces of social inequality that can, in providing knowledge of the forces of social inequality that can, in turn, inform political action aimed at emancipation (or at least turn, inform political action aimed at emancipation (or at least

diminishing domination and inequality).diminishing domination and inequality).(Rush, 2004:10)(Rush, 2004:10)

Rush, F. (Ed). (2004). Rush, F. (Ed). (2004). The cambridge companion to critical theory. The cambridge companion to critical theory. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.

Critical theory: “Truth as unmasking”Critical theory: “Truth as unmasking” (Higgs and Smith (2002)(Higgs and Smith (2002)

philosophy that claims truth created and uncreated by philosophy that claims truth created and uncreated by human beings – truth often serves the status quohuman beings – truth often serves the status quo

• who tells us what is true and falsewho tells us what is true and false• why are certain groups so privelegedwhy are certain groups so priveleged• where do we get our ideas fromwhere do we get our ideas from• why do we accept such serious inequalitieswhy do we accept such serious inequalities• who gains from this version of truth?who gains from this version of truth?

Critical theory developed from the late 1960’sCritical theory developed from the late 1960’sSocial problems challenged the belief that all was well in Social problems challenged the belief that all was well in western democracieswestern democracies

African colonies began demanding political autonomyAfrican colonies began demanding political autonomy

Critical theory: “Truth as unmasking” Critical theory: “Truth as unmasking” Higgs and Smith (2002)Higgs and Smith (2002)

• 1970’s, 80’s - critical theory ‘driving force’ behind new 1970’s, 80’s - critical theory ‘driving force’ behind new forms of marxism, feminism and black consciousness forms of marxism, feminism and black consciousness • influenced by society and context - far more than influenced by society and context - far more than we realisewe realise• structure of thinking processes result of social forcesstructure of thinking processes result of social forces• transformation through transformation through praxis praxis - critically reflecting - critically reflecting on society, uncover hidden assumptions that maintain on society, uncover hidden assumptions that maintain existing power relationshipsexisting power relationships• discover what enslaves peoplediscover what enslaves people• begin to alter social reality by how we participate in itbegin to alter social reality by how we participate in it• liberated from oppression once conscious of how liberated from oppression once conscious of how oppression operates (critical consciousness)oppression operates (critical consciousness)• critical theory and practice developed by Freire (1921-94) - critical theory and practice developed by Freire (1921-94) - teaching and schools do not educate, make learners teaching and schools do not educate, make learners accept power structuresaccept power structures

CONSTRUCTION OF SOCIAL WORK THEORYCONSTRUCTION OF SOCIAL WORK THEORY (Payne, 2005:3 –23)(Payne, 2005:3 –23)  

•    SW practice is a process of deciding action SW practice is a process of deciding action

from variety of alternative positionsfrom variety of alternative positions

• SW’s need to have ideas that try to explain why SW’s need to have ideas that try to explain why

and how practice decisions are madeand how practice decisions are made

• disagreement about what social work is, and disagreement about what social work is, and

different groups argue for and against different different groups argue for and against different

viewsviews

Reflexive-therapeutic viewReflexive-therapeutic view(therapeutic helping)(therapeutic helping)

Individualist-reformist Individualist-reformist Socialist-collectivistSocialist-collectivist(maintenance or social order) (emancipatory/transformational)(maintenance or social order) (emancipatory/transformational)

FRAMEWORKS FOR ANALYSING THEORIESFRAMEWORKS FOR ANALYSING THEORIES

Theories of radical changeTheories of radical change  

    Radical SW Marxist SWRadical SW Marxist SW

‘ ‘consciousness raisers’ ‘revolutionaries’consciousness raisers’ ‘revolutionaries’

  

SubjectiveSubjective Objective Objective

InteractionistInteractionist Traditional SW Traditional SW

‘ ‘seekers after meaning’seekers after meaning’ ‘fixers’ ‘fixers’

Theories of regulationTheories of regulation

Principles of critical thinkingPrinciples of critical thinking

• most are advantaged and disadvantaged by some most are advantaged and disadvantaged by some group identities, but issues differ outsider/insider group identities, but issues differ outsider/insider categoriescategories

• gaining knowledge about discrimination and gaining knowledge about discrimination and oppression + guarding against bias ongoing + lifelongoppression + guarding against bias ongoing + lifelong

• learn about culturally shaped assumptions - not impose learn about culturally shaped assumptions - not impose unknowingly, unknowingly,

• core values and standards core values and standards

• recognize how bias is structured into policies, practices recognize how bias is structured into policies, practices and norms about social interactions – institutionalized and norms about social interactions – institutionalized racism – than we do to perceive individual prejudiceracism – than we do to perceive individual prejudice

• question the knowledge base and theories that question the knowledge base and theories that underlie our practiceunderlie our practice

Principles of critical thinking (continued)Principles of critical thinking (continued)

• acknowledge and manage feelings connected with acknowledge and manage feelings connected with incomplete understandings , identity negotiations, incomplete understandings , identity negotiations, interactions to develop our critical consciousnessinteractions to develop our critical consciousness

• recognize non-conscious learnings shaped by recognize non-conscious learnings shaped by oppressive societal dynamicsoppressive societal dynamics

• be yourself and be genuine while working on critical be yourself and be genuine while working on critical consciousnessconsciousness

• reduce communication problems + destructive power reduce communication problems + destructive power related dynamics, use knowledge about how related dynamics, use knowledge about how characteristics affect others similar + different characteristics affect others similar + different

• incorporate knowledge of contexts of different identity incorporate knowledge of contexts of different identity categoriescategories

• understanding + competence about dimensions of understanding + competence about dimensions of concern, moves in cyclical patternsconcern, moves in cyclical patterns

Four presuppositions of the critical social science Four presuppositions of the critical social science paradigm:paradigm:

• Macro-social structures shape social relations at every Macro-social structures shape social relations at every level of lifelevel of life

• The world is divided between haves and have nots The world is divided between haves and have nots and that the interests of these groups are opposed and that the interests of these groups are opposed and irreconcilableand irreconcilable

• The oppressed are complicit in their oppressionThe oppressed are complicit in their oppression

• Its emphasis is on empowering oppressed people to Its emphasis is on empowering oppressed people to act, collectively, to achieve social changeact, collectively, to achieve social change

DISCUSSION EXERCISE: FOUR SUPPOSITIONS OF DISCUSSION EXERCISE: FOUR SUPPOSITIONS OF THE CRITICAL SOCIAL SCIENCE PARADIGMTHE CRITICAL SOCIAL SCIENCE PARADIGM

Macro-social structures shape social relations at Macro-social structures shape social relations at every level of lifeevery level of life

The world is divided between ‘haves’ and ‘have-The world is divided between ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ and the interests of these groups are nots’ and the interests of these groups are opposed and irreconcilableopposed and irreconcilable

The oppressed are complicit in their oppressionThe oppressed are complicit in their oppression

Its emphasis is on empowering oppressed people Its emphasis is on empowering oppressed people to act, collectively, to achieve social changeto act, collectively, to achieve social change