Radical social work in practice: Making a difference

by Iain Ferguson, Rona Woodward

Radical social work is a tradition often identified exclusively with the movement which developed in the UK in the 1970s, yet as this much-needed new textbook demonstrates, the relevance of radical approaches to contemporary social work practice have never been stronger. Challenges to a neoliberal approach to social work have been gaining ground academically, and, to a lesser extent, in practice circles. This book provides a fresh understanding of the radical tradition and shows how it can be developed in contemporary social work. Using case studies to illustrate the type of dilemmas faced by workers in their day-to-day practice, the book sets out the ways in which a radical social work approach can inform constructive responses. The book emphasises the need to understand the diverse lives of service users, encouraging readers to share experience and knowledge and to discuss past and present events, to build confidence in tackling injustice at individual and societal levels. As many social workers are becoming disillusioned and dissatisfied with the profession, this book promotes a practice that is rooted in a commitment to positive change and to social justice that will offer a breath of fresh air to students and practitioners alike.

Genres: Social Work

200 pages, Hardcover

First published May 14, 2009

About the author

Iain Ferguson is Honorary Professor of Social Work and Social Policy at the University of the West of Scotland. His main areas of interest are neoliberalism and social work, critical and radical perspectives in social work and also social perspectives in mental health. He is the Advisory Editor of Critical and Radical Social Work.

Reviews

[Connie Cox]

Nice, cleaned up version of how academia views this entire topic.
The only way to make a difference is through a lot of unpleasantness that most Social Workers can't tolerate because of the massive energy needs required. They are already bogged down in paperwork and meetings up the ying/yang. They need to support themselves on paltry salaries and are just as resistant to change as "low ball capitalist" power mongers creating the problems (low ball is a term recently used in NYT to describe how the USA and it's slavery-based financial system cares little for human beings).

I have been there and done that, so I know of what I speak.

[Jess Kant · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic exploration of the current state of British social work, and the impending crisis of managerialism. The introductions to some of the chapters also do a solid job of linking political discourse to subsequent policy shifts, which in turn are linked to the effects on frontline workers and service users. In many ways, this ability to follow broad social/political discourse all the way into the office and homes of our clients is lacking in much of social work education, especially here in the states. Incidentally, the book also provides a nice primer on social work in the UK for those of us abroad.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exactly what I intend to be. As a social work student I strive to think of the wider context in every situation and this book clarifies why this is so important.