Knowledge, Values and Practice– 612
Typos: courtesy of Itamar
Danziger
| Postmodern Critical theory and emancipatory Social Work –John Pease and Jan Fook |
| We gotta be more open to postmodern ideas –like deconstructivism: breakdown the contradictory elements of the narrative in order to see a new/another kind of logic. Otherwise, we'd be stuck with the modern ideas which tries to bring emancipation to oppressed populations yet did not succeed (i.e. feminism unfortunately phrases themselves in a way which women are still seen as "weak" – which in a "shot in the leg" for them |
| Epistemology – Reamer, F.G. (1993) The Philosophical foundations of social work. New York Columbia Uni. Press |
| -at first,
social work was practice based. When it was taught in universities,
it was taught using sociological and psychological texts. Only in the
late 1970s/early 1980s did social work literature emerge on its own
right. There was a push in the 1920s away from logical/positive
empiricism (i.e. objective empirical studies. Only one objective
reality. (=Researcher is objective.) The criticism is that it negates
other ways of obtaining knowledge. By the way: Rationalists-
focus on reason. Empiricism -focus on sensual experience –
i.e. gotta see the things. Rationalist criticism of empiricism; can't
rely on senses – they are unreliable. Empiricism answer: you will
lose important info without senses! Social work studies preferred empirical
approach until early 1980s when they shifted towards more qualitative
studies. Some claim: social work always used more eclectic methodology!
On the other hand, there were voices pushing towards a more empiricist
forms of practice (their claim was: that practice had become too loosely
defined). This includes: systematically monitoring progress/empirical
based practice/always leaning new and better techniques Limitations of empirical studies:
- you gotta have internal validity (is the actual concept being measured here?) and external validity (can the results be generalized or are they too particular?). sometimes, there are ethical or organizational restrains on making a well-designed study. Criticism of empirical design:
-in the 1980s, there was a turn towards qualitative methodology (looking at naturalistic context). Qualitative research has the following axioms:
-there was an argument for qualitative methodology: non-logic is not irrational! -out actions are based on heuristic we make since we can't know our reality for sure:
-some social work researchers call not to totally discard empiricism but to incorporate its use, despite its shortcomings. There is an increasing trend to combine methodologies. Of course, this depends on the mindset of the researcher. A behavioral-oriented researcher will still have a hard time accepting qualitative research |
| Kirk S. William (2002). Science and Social Work: a critical appraisal |
| -even after
social work was accepted as a profession, there is ongoing debate as
to its knowledge base, which was rather eclectic, taking a lot of knowledge
from other social sciences. Reasons include; social work more obsessed
with "doing and feeling" than with analyzing, the gap between
practice and knowledge, values being more emphasized than knowledge
-a hardship is to combine [academic] knowledge and practice -in 1980s, there was a debate as to how much to use empirical or qualitative methodology. In the 1990s, the debate shifted towards how to integrate methodologies:
-how we define an acceptable
assertion of a piece of knowledge is harder when you use eclectic methods
of knowledge building, as social work does. Nevertheless, there are
some criteria we can follow to base our knowledge and to assess its
acceptability:
-important not just to compare constructs! i.e. jury and witnesses agree that the guy is guilty – it doesn't mean anything in light of new DNA evidence!
|
| Class struggle – Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels (1848) |
| -this is a short article. You have 2 classes, the bourgeoisie (ruling class) and the proletariat (working class). The ruling class tried to undo the feudal class system but reproduced it instead. They control everything (economics/culture/etc..), and built the society in a way where they maintain the power over the weaker working class, whom they exploit. When there are class tensions, either the society collapses, or one side wins. Bourgeoisie tries to increase production. When bourgeoisie's system creates overproduction, there in economic upheaval and the bourgeoisie tries to control society in those times as well. |
| The Psychical Apparatus and the Theory of Instincts – Sigmund Freud, 1900-1939 |
Structure:
-the id is there to satisfy
basic human instincts. Ego is there to keep us alive by finding the
most favorable way of obtaining satisfaction. The superego might bring
fresh needs to the foreground, but its main function is setting limits
on satisfaction. Theory of the instincts -the id tries to maintain homeostatic through instincts (somatic demands on the mind) -there are two instinctive trends – the libido/eros (life instincts) and death instincts… poor adaptation (=poor combination of them) = death or the individual or species. Instincts could be turned towards the self. So libido is first turned towards the self and is called primary narcissism. Only when a suitable object is found, does it turn to object-libido. There is mobility: instincts can switch to different objects. The opposite phenomenon is called fixation.. Death instincts can also be turned towards the self, and that is seen in self-destructive behavior. As seen in erotogenic zones of the body, the libido stems from bodily needs and influences the mind. |
Sept. 2, 2008
-The idea of social workers/society is where it is at because of our progressiveness (emancipation trends) has been deconstructed
-it was once seen as western society being the best and others being lagging and lacking. This included suppressing the voices of other approaches and cultures. i.e. knowledge not being scientific was seriously questioned. Today, the question of what progress has been questioned. Need to look at past and future. So what constitutes knowledge is a question. In asking about the past: one also needs to ask what was excluded – not told. How do we reconstruct our past, in order to see ourselves is a "nice" (progressive) way. There is a difference between "history" – the story, and "past" –the meta-story (about past and future). Some ways to tell the story:
-the question of knowledge
has also been influenced by globalization.
-so, what counts as knowledge
is a question which will be the core issue in this course.
Sept 9, 2008
Social work started off as
an "empancipatory" trend. Then, now it entered a "post-modern"/critical
stage. Difference is more accepted. Questions come up like: how is my
practice influenced by theories when working with 'others"?
Structural social work – kind of like critical social work – criticizes the old approach (emancipatory/modern approaches) for oppressing those that they want to emancipate. The structure of society is screwed up. Feminist approaches; personal is political. Gender became the issue. The structures oppress women. Power creates binary groups: haves and have-nots. These are along class/race/gender. Universal categories are deemphasized and relationships are of essence. Diversity is seen as an essential thing to keep in mind? Post modernism question the value-free conception of scientific study. Language influences how we see the world.
Postmodernism – tries to theorize about the diversity of our reality (deconstructed)
Post-modern - ?
-question: why do we value
some things and not others? Thus, the question of whether science is
value-free comes up. So how do we evaluate knowledge? What do we accept
knowledge? Where should/does knowledge come from? Postmodernism adopts
the uncertainty.
Pease/Fook: post-modernism
adopts critical approach. We must grow/adapt in order to meet today's
needs. Modernity came with colonialism/revolution/
Reamer: main question:
what is knowledge? Mary Richmond had a scientific/medical/diagnostic
approach to social work. Rational theories: based on reason. Empiricist:
based on senses/quantifiable. Problem: how do you quantify depression?
You can have a knowledge base without empiricism! We risk misdiagnosis
if we use empiricism, even though we are using sense perception. Plato:
intelligible information/reason is a better approach! (especially mathematics).
However, "gut feelings" our sense experience might help us
develop a direction. Positivism: based on sense experience.
Quantifiably things does still not mean that it is true. Evidence-based
therapy (i.e. cognitive-behavioral therapy) – emphasize what we see
– i.e. behavior, as opposed to unseen things, i.e. self-esteem.
Main message of article: how we do research is based on how we see
the world. Studies are subjective at its basis.
-is what I learnt from my practice
considered knowledge? Or only theory? Where does values/ethical knowledge
tie in? does humanism take precedence over scientific thinking? Reamer:
at best, we have partial knowledge, and it is linked to our specific
situation.
Postmodernism = Truth is the
result of the discourse. The rules define what is included/excluded.
If you have strict rules, post-modernism tries to deconstruct it and
see what is up with that since certainty sucks. Provisional certainty
is the post-modernist thing to do.
Kirk Williams: need
knowledge to have a useful practice. Social constructivism: knowledge
of reality based on discourse/language. This is in contrast to empiricism.
Narrative approaches fit in here. How do we assess things based on clinical
evidence? How do we get info? Physicians have more say in hospital hierarchy
than social workers since there is a value there. Each organization
has is own values. Can studies be generalized to other situations?
Class 16 September, 2008
Question: is modernity just bad? (Freud/Marx are modernists). Some religions/religious groups think so. Also, many parts of the world did not benefit from the "riches" that came with the modernity. Modernism produced capitalistic social order worldwide. Modernity is as arrogant as its opposition. i.e. 19th century literature, i.e. Marx/Freud – condoned individualism, and We (white/western) can rule the world – i.e. controlled the others (see: Africa). They placed a "hierarchy": WhiteàIndianàAfricanàetc… the "whites" took on a responsibility to take care of the others – their lives need to be taken care of (and religion can help take care of them!)
Modernity is trying to resist
something else àthey were self-confident based on ignorance
– I am my own master.
Marx/Freud were culturally
produced by modernistic culture which they were part of.
The gap between rich and poor
worlds is getting worse – the trickling down of the wealth that capitalism
has produced has not happened. Out of this came two authors:
Marx and Freud
| Marx | Freud |
|
-we are not our own autonomous masters – but can be made more autonomous |
-freud-o-marxism: makes the
connection between the two: is a person controlled by drives? Are they
representation of powerless people?
-the point is that both questioned
their social contexts and tried to reframe it.
| Appiah A. (1997) "But Would that be Me?" Notes of Gender, "race", ethnicity as source of Identity. In N. Zack (ed.) Race/Sex Their Sameness, Difference and Interplay. Routledge, New York, pp.75-81 |
| -some parts of identity can be negotiated. Even gender could be socially switched. Some cultural identity could be swiched – i.e. someone from Irish descent can become less Irish – as if the "white" is the cultural status-quo – the baseline standard. If you are white, you can undo your cultural identity easy. Someone black does not have that privilege – even if culturally the same, he would always have to apologetically explain himself, and how the black culture influenced him. Conclusion: there is something structural about racism. |
| Fanon, F. (1999). The Wretched of the Earth. In M. Blumer and J., Solomos (Eds). Racism pp.116-120 |
| This article speaks about colonialism and how it makes one (whites? males?) dominate other groups (Natives? Blacks? Females?). There is a conquering (violence) to eradicate/not see the other's mindset – as if the "other" is less/uncultured/general mass of people. The dominated react to this "violence" with more violence. The colonizer's black-or-white thinking and impositions lead to similar reactions of the dominated. |
| Nicholson, L. (1992). On the postmodern Barricades; feminism, politics and theory. In Seidman, S. & Wagner D.G. (eds). Postmodernism and Social Theory, London: Blackwell Publishing, PP. 82-100 |
| Absolutism
= general rules which are over-encompassing, possibly andro-/ethnocentric
Relativist – rejects some cross-cultural truths àboth
have downsides, and the bummer is that they are mutually exclusive –
so you have to chose between to inherent problems. -so the summary of this article -after long philosophic ramblings – is that postmodernism accepts some of modernism but also critiques it – it is also continuous and also reactive. |
Sept-23, 2008
1st assignment – oct 21
Structural analysis:
taking Marxism into gender/social structure
-this week's reading looked at gender/institutional racism
-when we keep on questioning,
we shake our foundation, which might be unnerving.
Deconstruction continuum:
Post-theory àafter-theory
Deconstruction: well, see the
elements of it – de-piecing it. You can re-piece it later, but you
are not undoing the theory but breaking it into pieces and questioning
it.
Post-theory–
means rewriting history - deconstructing it– i.e. post-colonialism
means the reaction after it – usually by the colonized ài.e.
feminism
After-theory
- "social theory is dead" – i.e. rejecting all theories
on basis that they do not work. i.e. it is not the author's intention
but our interpretation – so it he is utterly dead. i.e. history is
dead as it is written by someone àwittless relativismsàrefuse to do moral judgments
| James
G. Barber: science and social work: are they compatible?
Research on Social Work Practce 6(3), 379-388 |
Social work
has been resistant to scientific methodology on 3 grounds:
|
| Peter Leonard –knowledge/power and social work -Canadian social work review, 11 |
| -Foucault:
each generation has a range of what is allowed to be said and what is
not (exclusion)
Modernity: reason/knowledge outweigh superstition/ignorance. Brought progress, as well as oppression (and oppression can be fought with emancipation –another modernistic approach, driven by the social sciences!). Postmodernity:
questioned the ultimate truths set forth by modernity. It also questioned
the "progress" of modernity in pointing out that with each
"progress", someone was oppressed. Contradictions: replace
one doctrine with another! (doctrine: an approach taken by a group which
also allows only certain things to be said while other things, not.)/can't
abandon values altogether! Modernism: has a contradiction
to it: the emancipatory/oppression contradiction Postmodernist will have to maintain the multiple subjectivities versus the "ultimate" truths of modernity. |
| Assignment a – 6 double-spaced paged |
|
| Assignment B – 10-12 pages |
| Essay on topic of your choice – 10-12 pages. Academic/literature – emerging from this course which is expected to include both theoretical speculation together with appropriate references to ideologies and practices in social work and/or social policy |
Sept 30, 2008
Paradigms of science
"Hard"ßà"soft"
-there is no such thing as
science method – but there are various method. There is a wide range
of paradigms ranging from soft to hard.
range
àdeconstruction: rejects all approaches as "scientistic" – i.e. the claims to truths. The problem with that is not allowing alternatives. i.e. focusing on class struggle means your not focusing on other ways to see it. The world is complex to be sure of the truth
àPost-modernism ties in to this approach
àthe idea is always to question
àsome
criticize deconstructivism because it doesn't give alternatives –
just breaks down ideas
Thomas Khum: there are
dramatic chances in science, vs. "normal science" which is
the socializing/education to think how science works àthat's why in physics, there is a few
if any conflicting explanation while in social sciences, there are many
more!
Peter Leonard: you gotta reconstruct
after deconstructing.
October 7, 2008
Knowledge claims of social work
-knowledge has developed from modernity
àSo
there are 2 contradictory ideas: is it a matter of progress or of discipline/regulation.
This is a tough tension within social work. i.e. child protection is
a progressive thing. But it also requires regulation! [and relationship].
So on one hand, you are supposed to protect the child, but alongside
it, you need to work with the parents as well!
Another example: dealing
with deviant populations: you are acting on behalf of state, but also
progressive
Marx: "lumpen-proletariat" – those below the working class
à"spivs"
– those in the criminal market. Not part of the organized social/working
classes. Social work tried to reduce the danger of that population
A current examples:
àbut we live/work within those contradictory pressures and pulls as social workers. Understanding social work history helps us understand the position that we take.
Michelle Foucault: history
of madness: psychiatry could only emerge once something became the
object. You had to identify madness/insanity in order to have psychiatry.
In social work, you need to identify a social problem in order to have
social work. Deserving [outside their control] and undeserving poor
[called the residium – "the leftovers" àdeviants]
was the social problem.
| James M. Karin & Karin E. Wandrei (eds.) -1996 – Chapter 1 – PIE: a system for describing and classifying problems of social functioning. Person-in-Environment System. NASW Press, 3-21 |
| -despite dangers of abuse, the classification of social problems is important to establish and define the social work profession as well as to get a similar language to describe phenomenon |
| Thomas Szasz, (1993). The contemporary Scene. A Lexicon of Lunacy: Metaphoric Malady, Responsibility, and Psychiatry. New Brunswick NJ: Transaction Books. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publication pp.21-36 |
| -Szasz complains that people who use their choose to use their different languages are labeled as schizophrenic, and that is done without scientific evidence! |
| Karl Thom, A critique of the DSM, Dulwich Center Newsletter, No. 3, 1990. pp.1-4 |
| Criticism
of the DSM
Empirical
political criticism
Humanitarian criticism
Pragmatic criticism
Ontological criticism
Ironic criticism
|
Oct-14-2008
Classification as a professional knowledge
-so DSM is not truly Social
Work oriented because it does not answer ideas such as client strengths,
systems, etc… it seems too dry for real change in the client, nor
does it refer to the more practical elements in DSM, and the broader
social structure. It focuses too much on individual adaptation.
-social work tends to align
itself to psychiatry. It seems like social work tries to get power/professional
status through using the DSM
| Diagnostic approach | Functional approach |
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|
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Helen Perlman: integrated the
two into a problem-solving approach
--1957 – the book is called
"social casework". She speaks of ego function: coping and
adaptation, through support. It is based on the idea that problems are
part of life
-the DSM is socially constructed,
and so are its labels and criteria. For example, the differential emphasis
on genetic/biological/social/
October 21, 2008
-next assignment = has to be
on time!!!!!!! (!!!)
| Gord Bruyere (1998). Living in another man's house: supporting aboriginal learners in social work. Education. Canadian Social Work Review 15(2), 1998 pp.166-176 |
| Mastronardi L. (2004). Disrupting the narrative of white tutelage: reflections on post-colonial social work education. In Davies, L. and Leonard, P. social work in a corporate Era, Practices of Power and Resistance. London: Ashgate, pp.128-143 |
| These two articles discuss the social work education placing the "WASP" ideas at its center and downplaying local ideas of intervention. Alternatives include strengthening community and their cultural agents and styles of strength and support |
| Linda Briskman and Carolyn Noble (1999). Social work ethnics: embracing diversity? In Bob Pease and Jan Fook (eds.), transforming Social Work Practice. New South Wales, Allen & Unwin, pp. 57-69 |
| -the social work ethics codes seem to be very vague, might not be irrelevant to today's practice and many situations |
Culturegram
Immigrant family: [and which members
Tripartite development of personal identity
-all individuals are unique/also like some others/also like everyone
Culture is arena of battle here are some questions:
-a big question is how much
culture has universalistic values. Does relativism allow us to make
judgments? Saying "its out culture" exclude the ability to
critique? Is culture relativism allowing?
Can we acknowledge difference without agreeing?
Are cultural practices not
equal? Are some judgments necessary? i.e. some things are universalistic?
Does tat mean that we can invade another country? Where does power enter
the discourse of the culture? What is the boundary between universalism
and racism? Is it possible to have narratives over cultures? Problem:
the person in authority in the given culture is someone from culture?!?!
Thus ethics/respect/valuing differences is complex!!! Both universalistic
and exclusiveness is problematic. Toleration is not sufficient!
| Final paper:
10-12 pages Quote the literature -you can give examples of your practice. -always quote views not supportive of your views -choose a topic that is meaningful -no minimum amount of references Need to combine theory, context and refer to ideology. |
| Hall, C. (1997). Chapter 8 –depicting character: reading adequate representations of the client/ social work as a narrative: story telling and persuasion in professional texts: Aldershot: ashgate publishing, pp. 201-231 |
| This article describes how even when we build a narrative of a person, we can describe her/him in various ways, depending on our goals. We can paint the person in various colors and lights depending on the describer's interests |
| Chambon, A. (1994) Chapter 5): Postmodernity and Social Work Discourse(s): notes on the changing Language of a Procession. In A. Chambon and A. Irving (eds.) Essays on Postmodernism and Social Work. Toronto: Canadian Scholar’s Press. Pp 61-72 |
| -examining
the professional language chosen reflects its professional claims -there is increasing profession
specification, and this creates authority over others by default of
the “other” – with the down side of people less being able to
think and be critical about the issues discussed. It leads to fragmentation
of dealing with social welfare problems. We lose our broader perspective
and critical thinking with new concepts Criticism of social work:
The point of this article is that our choice of language influences and impacts our interventions. |
October 28, 2008
You can not look at modernism
(emancipation) and postmodernism (deconstruction – question assumptions/"truths")
in binary terms – they are related, because postmodernism reacts and
interacts with modernism. They are not incompatible but rather you have
to let go of binary thinking
-but many fights/wars occurred
in the name of postmodernism!
---new idea---
-there are some overt and covert
rules about how to write a social work report. There are pressures to
imply 1 conclusion and not the other. It is a way to reduce risk –
i.e. avoid being blamed for the results. So, the writer of the report
thinks of the audience which she is writing to.
November 4, 2008
Authority control and surveillance
Discipline and resistance
What alternative practices can we engage in that is resistant to authoritative approaches?
àthis
might also influence the client's resistance to client.
-how do we engage in de-pathologizing practices? i.e. resist the given structure, i.e. DSMism, racism, sexism.
-is the client resisting to
something real? Is it our own resistance?
November 11, 2008
Modernism< ---- > Postmodernism
Ideology: the ideas that you
take in order to get your material goals. The ideology serves the group
or individual interests
November 18, 2008
Paper has to be handed in by
December 2nd
| Grand theory | Local narrative i.e. every day life beliefs |
| Systemized – operates with vocabulary and spits and it thinks is the problem. But it reflects the author context – i.e. Freud wrote in patriarchal context. So Freud couldn’t face the fact that girls are being raped | Interpretive |
| Embodying theorists | Embodying subject |
| Reflects yet Resists culture assumptions | |
| Abstraction | Concretization |
| Claims to be true | Claims to be true |
Question: who benefits from the theory organized this way
-the grand theory is congruent
with context. It reflects or resists cultural assumptions. They are
transmitted through cultural artifacts such as religion
-sometimes, our grand theories are questioned cross-culturally,
-yet it is hard to practice
social work without grand theories
Foucault: asks the question
of how we change the narrative – the narrative is quite powerful since
it enables the person to understand the world and make generalizations
November 25, 2008
No material was discussed this class.
December 2, 2008
No material was discussed this class.