Introduction to Social Work Introduction to Social Work Profession and Its Profession and Its Philosophical-BasePhilosophical-Base

Imran Ahmad SajidImran Ahmad Sajid

18 Feb 2011

Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Social Work,

University of Peshawar. Email: imranahmad131@gmail.com

• Social Work is an enabling profession, which empowers people to change the way of their lives.

• Social Work is a Professional Activity that aims to assist people in overcoming serious difficulties in their lives by offering care, protection and counseling. (C. Henry and Philpot.[e.d.1994])

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Answer these Questions?Answer these Questions?1. Do you imagine any society without human

sufferings?

2. Do you imagine any society where all members are young and there is no old-age problem?

3. All members are healthy and wealthy?

4. All members have their needs satisfied?

5. A society where there is no stratification?

6. A society where there is no discrimination and prejudice?

7. A society where there is no poverty?

8. Where every body is rich?

9. Where everybody is educated? 3

DefinitelyDefinitely

NONO

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Because,Because, Human Societies are not Perfect Human Societies are not Perfect• Social Problems emerge in human

societies which require humane solution.

&

• Human Needs arise that must be satisfied.

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Now Answer these Questions?Now Answer these Questions?1. Are you offended when you see poor picking

their food from garbage?2. When you see poor fighting over a bag of

floor or rice? 3. When you see illness and disease go

untreated because health care is not affordable and efficient?

4. When you see children addicted to drugs?5. When children beg in the streets, chowks

and parks?6. When the deserving candidates do not get

job? 6

1. Are you willing to confront realities of social problems and human needs?

2. Are you concerned with the plight of the many who experience hardships of poverty and the tears of hunger and pain?

3. Do you want to be involved in shaping a society that strives to ensure a high high quality of life quality of life and social justicesocial justice for all social members?

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If YES, then If YES, then

WELCOME TO WELCOME TO THE PROFESSION OF SOCIAL WORKTHE PROFESSION OF SOCIAL WORK

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• Social Work Profession is charged with fulfilling the Social Welfare’s mandate of promoting well-being and quality of life.

Thus,

• Social work encompasses professional activities directed towards improving human and social conditions and alleviating human distress and social problems.

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IFSW and IFSSW 2000IFSW and IFSSW 2000

• Social Work Profession promotes social change, • problem-solving in human relationships, • the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance

well-being. • Utilizing theories of human behaviour and social

system. • Social work intervenes at the point where people

interact with their environment. • Principles of human rights and social justice are

fundamental to social work.

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Philosophical-Base of Philosophical-Base of Social WorkSocial Work

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Social Work is said to be a Helping Social Work is said to be a Helping profession, BUT……?profession, BUT……?

• Why do we help people? • Why do we social workers care for people? • Why do we rehabilitate drug addicts, alcoholic

addicts? • Why do we work for poverty alleviation? • Why we promote social policy and social change?• Why do we empower people?• Why do we work for people’s well-being?

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• Answering these question will lead you to your Answering these question will lead you to your philosophical base of social work. philosophical base of social work. Because, Because,

• What makes us do all what we do as a social worker?

• What are our fundamental beliefs and principles which guides our behaviour and makes us do what we do?

• Why do we strengthen people’s social functioning?

• Why do we enhance social environment?

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Philosophy is,Philosophy is,

1. the beliefs and principles underlying any department of knowledge [Oxford Dictionary].

2. Philosophy is the study of truths and principles of being, knowledge, or conduct [Quartz Hill School of Theology].

3. A belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school [Princeton University WordNet].

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• Thus it is clear that the concept of philosophy is grounded in the understanding that – there are truthsthere are truths (سچاءیی) and principles and principles

of our existence and that these truths of our existence and that these truths(اصول)are accepted by us as well as others. are accepted by us as well as others.

• We can have a set of truths and truths and principlesprinciples that guide us in how we conduct ourselves and define what we expect from others.

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Philosophical-Base of Social WorkPhilosophical-Base of Social Work

• Social Work as a discipline focuses on theoretical and philosophical positions such as Social Justice, Social Justice, Equality, and Empowerment. Equality, and Empowerment.

• These can be described as Philosophies of Social Philosophies of Social Work. Work.

BUT, • Are these really “philosophies of social work” “philosophies of social work” or

theories and conceptstheories and concepts that guide the field, actions, and behaviours?

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Lets Investigate My Lets Investigate My Philosophy of Social WorkPhilosophy of Social Work

• My philosophy of social work is grounded upon the concepts of [and I work toward] Social Justice, Empowerment, and Equal Access to all societal members.

• BUT, to do so I need to employ effectiveeffective knowledge, techniques, and strategies.

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1. Social Justice1. Social Justice

• Rawl’s Theory of Justice• The concept of Veil of Ignorance• From under the VOI, a person would

choose two (2) central principles;

1.All people are entitled to basic rights; &

2.It is unjust to maintain inequalities between people.

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• All social primary goods are to be distributed equally unless an unequal distribution is to the advantage of everyone (Rawl: A Theory of Justice). .

• If I found inequality leading to further disadvantage of some members of the society, this is where I feel I must begin my work.

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• I ask my self, what would be the socially just approach to meeting the needs of people worst-off among us?

• How do I create equality?

• How do I foster understanding and acceptance?

• But having a sense of what social justice is and how to promote it still fails to provide those in need of a mechanism to facilitate power within and among them.

• There needs to be a process whereby action can be taken. 20

2. Empowerment 2. Empowerment

• [Empowerment is] the process of increasing personal, interpersonal, or political power so that individuals, families, and communities can take action to improve their situations (Gutierrez, 1994).

• To empower means; – To give somebody greater sense of confidence and self-

esteem [Encarta]. – And to Authorise somebody [Oxford].

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Askheim says, Askheim says,

• Although empowerment is a main objective for social welfare policy and practice, it is also a complicated mix of granting power to service consumersgranting power to service consumers and at the same time, retaining power as retaining power as service providersservice providers.

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To understand empowerment, Note To understand empowerment, Note that…that…

• To empower is to Relinquish Power.

• Social Workers are criticized for being both,1.1. Social Advocates Social Advocates and

2.2. Social ControllersSocial Controllers.

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As AdvocatesAs Advocates

• We focus on Power Issues and

• Argue that social problems are largely borne out of inequitable distributions of authority.

• We see the lack of power as the culprit of oppression.

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As ControllersAs Controllers

• We focus on deviance and seek to maintain harmony between groups in society, thereby enforcing power we maintain.

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The Issue of PowerThe Issue of Power

• It seems the issue of power is embedded in both the Society and the Social Work Profession.

• How do we relinquish power when we recognize that sometimes, service consumers are unable to manage power granted to them?

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• The client’s right to self-determination has to be balanced against securing them against risks and dangers and their right to have an optimal quality of life.

• So, Social Workers must recognize that they hold power and sometimes it must be retained—granting full power to consumers is neither reasonable nor possible.

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• There is conflict between – how to retain power and – how much to empower?

• To empower, I must identify my own level of power and how to apply it?

• Over-empowerment is also a possibility (which can lead to disempowerment of others).

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3. Michel Foucault’s Parrhesia3. Michel Foucault’s Parrhesia

• Parrhesia means, – Fearlessness, or boldness of speech.

• The concept of Parrhesia focuses on the question of, – Who among us has the right, duty, and courage Who among us has the right, duty, and courage

to speak the truth? to speak the truth?

• Fundamentally, we all do. But, many do not concretely recognize this as their right.

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• Social Workers are bound by the duty to speak out for people not empowered to speak for themselves.

• If you do not have the right to free speech, you are unable to exercise any kind of power.

• Without Parrhesia, you can not oppose power structure.

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• How can social work be effective if people cannot exercise their right to free speech?

• Therefore, it is we, the social workers, who have a responsibility to educateeducate people who are oppressed in the action of parrhesia.

• Without parrhesia, the concept of justice, equality, and empowerment remains just those concepts—and lack concrete application in the real world.

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• So, EducationEducation is our tool to achieve this goal of moving positive forces of justice and equality forward.

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• From this position,

• Social Work is viewed as EDUCATION, and education becomes power.

• We do not “tell” a client what to do.

• We inform, empower and educate.

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BUT EMPOWERING IS HARD BUT EMPOWERING IS HARD WORKWORK

• Although the intention is good, but the process of empowerment often fails due to being long-term process.

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ConclusionConclusion• John Rawls “Veil of Ignorance” protects us

from bias and against making decisions about others we would not otherwise want to be made about ourselves.

• Askheim’s “Empowerment” provides an understanding about how and when to Grant and Retain power.

• Michel Foucault’s Parrhesia provides a practical guide as to how to empower and promote social justice.

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• My principles are social justice, equality and empowerment.

• And to translate these principles into reality, I use Parrhesia as a tool of practice.

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