Social construction and social work practice : interpretations and innovations / edited by Stanley L Witkin.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Witkin, Stanley L, 1947-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Social constructionism.

Social service.

Physical Description:

xi, 354 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Columbia University Press, 2012.

Summary:

Social construction addresses the cultural factors and social dynamics that give rise to and maintain values and beliefs. Drawing on postmodern philosophies and critical, social, and literary theories, social construction has become an important and influential framework for practice and research within social work and related fields. In this accessible collection, Stanley L Witkin showcases the ways in which social construction may be understood and expressed in practice. He calls on experienced practitioner-scholars to share their personal accounts of interpreting and applying social constructionist ideas in different settings (such as child welfare agencies, schools, and the courts) and with diverse clientele (such as disadvantaged families, indigenous populations, children in protective custody, refugee youth, and adult perpetrators of sexual crimes against children). The contributors translate complex concepts into the language of daily encounter and care, and through a committed transnational focus, demonstrate their work's global reach. Book jacket.

Contents:

Beginning the journey / Stanley L Witkin

An introduction to social constructions

Honoring client perspectives through collaborative practice : shifting from assessment to reflective exploration / J. Christopher Hall

Becoming a social constructionist : from Freudian beginnings to narrative ends / Ruth Dean

The car, the rain, and meaningful conversation : reflexivity and practice / Fiona Gardner

Thinking and acting constructively in child protection / Nigel Parton

Mostly we played with whatever she chose / Deborah R. Major

Shedding light on the expert witness role in child welfare work : the value of social construction / Trish Walsh

Family therapy with a larger aim / Dan Wulff and Sally St. George

Opening a space for hope in a landscape of despair : trauma and violence work with men who have sexually abused minors / Marie Keenan

Narrative supervision and professional development for school teachers in Hong Kong / Wai-fong Ting

When woman-at-risk meets youth-at-risk : engaging the discursive practices of the nation-state / Martha Kuwee Kumsa.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780231152464

0231152469

9780231530309

0231530307

OCLC:

711988991