THEORY AND PERSPECTIVES IN SOCIAL WORK

The key to informed practice and intervention in social work lies in building and establishing a base that comprises of deliberations on theory, positions and movements. They play a key role in taking ‘studied positions’ and ‘cultivated interventions’ that then reflect the epistemic maturity of the profession mirroring onto praxis.

This book attempts to bring together on one platform theories, positions and movements that influence the episteme of social work. The commencing point is the domain of social theorising from positivism to postmodernism. This is followed by positions offered by religion and faith and the deliberations in that realm. The third aspect is the ‘modern’ and ‘postcolonial’ realm falling within which are discussions on social reform, Gandhian thought and nationalism as also deliberations on social justice and human rights. Movements entail subaltern voices and praxis commencing with Dalit and tribal movements, transnational and indigenous discourses in the women’s movement, queer theorisations and movements of alternative sexuality, discourses on ecology and disability.

Finally, the attempt is to link discussions on theory, positions, movements and social work perspectives ranging from charity to critical practice. The book thus presents a comprehensive view of social theorisation, positions and movements that interface with social work and lend to a consolidation of perspectives. It would serve as reference material for graduate students in social work.

Contents

1 Theory, Positions, Movements and Social Work: An Introduction

2 Theory and Social Epistemology–1: Positivism and Post-Positivism

3 Theory and Social Epistemology–2: Marxism and Critical Theory

4 Theory and Social Epistemology–3: Structuralism, the ‘Post’ Genres and Feminism

5 Positions Emerging from Religion and Faith: Literal and Critical

6 Modern and Postcolonial Positions: Social Reform, Gandhi and Nationalism

7 Social Justice and Human Rights Discourses: Traversing Modernities and Postmodernities

8 Movements: Subaltern Voices and Praxis
9 Social Work Perspectives in the Light of Theory, Positions and Movements