Buy this book. Make it required reading for every incoming social work student. The best resource I ve ever found to help with the challenging task of radiating social justice theory into the heart of social work practice. Accessible, real, and encouraging, Doing Anti-Oppressive Practice shines the way forward for our entire profession. "
Doing Anti-Oppressive Social Work brings together critical social work authors to passionately engage with pressing social issues, and to pose new solutions, practices and analysis in the context of growing inequities and the need for reconciliation, decolonization and far-reaching change. The book presents strong intersectional perspectives and practice, engaging closely with decolonization, re-Indigenization, resistance and social justice. Like the first three editions, the 4th edition foregrounds the voices of those less heard in social work academia and to provide cutting-edge critical reflection and skills, including social work’s relationship to the state, and social work’s responsibility to individuals, communities and its own ethics and standards of practice. Indigenous, Black, racialized, transgender, (dis)Ability and allied scholars offer identity-engaged and intersectional analyses on a wide-range of issues facing those working with intersectional cultural humility, racism and child welfare, poverty and single mothers, critical gerontology and older people, and immigrant and racialized families. This 4th edition of Doing Anti-Oppressive Social Work goes well beyond its predecessors, updating and revising popular chapters, but also problematizing AOP and engaging closely with new and emerging issues.
Rather than a book of theory, this collection of essays focuses on practical strategies for integrating antioppressive theory into politicized, transformative social work. Practice vignettes, personal experiences, and casework examples are provided and assert that everyday interactions with clients from disadvantaged groups can challenge injustice and ultimately transform larger systems of oppression.
Anti-Oppressive Social Work: Ways of Knowing, Talking, and Doing provides the conceptual and theoretical background to unravel the intellectual puzzles posed by the authors' personal stories of oppression and anti-oppressive practice. This text works to provide students with the deepunderstanding that social workers must have a solid knowledge of society and its power relationships so they can create anti-oppression "in the moment" and in partnership with service users.The book begins by defining oppression and anti-oppression and examines ways to think critically about issues of power. It then goes on to explore specific forms of oppression (such as whiteness), as well as various isms (racism, sexism, heterosexism, cissexism, ableism, and sanism), colonizationand decolonization, and the problem of poverty and social order. Ultimately, the authors contend that the "dream" of doing anti-oppression must be done in partnership with service users. Exercises, activities, and "Key Concept" boxes provide stepping stones and opportunities for students to applyanti-oppression to their everyday life and their future practice.
Gerontological Social Work in Action introduces "anti-oppression gerontology" (AOG), a critical approach to social work with older adults, their families, and communities. AOG principles are applied to direct and indirect practice and a range of topics of relevance to social work practice in the context of a rapidly aging and increasingly diverse world. Weaving together stories from diverse older adults, theories, research, and practical tools, this unique textbook prompts social workers to think differently and push back against oppressive forces. It pays attention to issues, realities, and contexts that are largely absent in social work education and gerontological practice, including important developments in our understanding of age/ism; theories of aging and social work; sites and sectors of health and social care; managing risk and frailty; moral, ethical and legal questions about aging including medical assistance in dying; caregiving; dementia and citizenship; trauma; and much more. This textbook should be considered essential reading for social work students new to or seeking to specialize in aging, as well as those interested in the application of anti-oppressive principles to working with older adults and researching later life.
Critical social work encourages emancipatory personal and social change. This text focuses on the challenge of incorporating critical theory into the practice of social workers and provides case studies and insights from a range of fields to illustrate how to work with tensions and challenges. Beginning with an outline of the theoretical basis of critical social work and its different perspectives, the authors go on to introduce key features of working in this tradition including critical reflection. Part II explores critical practices in confronting privilege and promoting social justice in social work, examining such issues as human rights, gender, poverty and class. Part III considers the development of critical practices within the organisational context of social work including the fields of mental health, child and family services, within Centrelink and prison settings. Part IV is focused on doing anti- discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice in social work with particular populations including asylum seekers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, domestic violence survivors, older people and lesbian, gay and transgender groups. Finally, Part V outlines collectivist and transformative practices in social work and beyond, looking at environmental issues, social activism, the disability movement and globalisation. 'A highly valuable addition to social work education and practice literature in Australia and beyond its shores.' Ruth Phillips, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney
This updated third edition of the immensely popular Doing Anti-Oppressive Practice introduces students to anti-oppressive social work, its historical and theoretical roots and the specific contexts of anti-oppressive social work practice. Key to this practice is the understanding that the problems faced by an individual are rooted in the inequalities and oppression of the socio-political structure of society rather than in personal characteristics or individual choices. Moreover, the contributors show that social justice and social change — working against racism, sexism and class oppression — can and must be a key component of social work practice. Drawing on concrete examples from specific practice contexts, personal experience and case work, including child welfare, poverty, mental health, addictions and disability, the contributors demonstrate how to translate social justice theory into everyday practice. This new edition adds chapters on working with refugee, immigrant and racialized families; children; older adults; cognitive behavioural therapy; and using social media as a tool for social change.
Grounded in principles and values of fairness and equality, anti-oppressive practice (AOP) lies at the heart of social work and social work education. This book will equip you with the tools and knowledge to address the concepts of diversity, oppression, power and powerless, and practice in ethically appropriate ways for contemporary social work practice.
`This is an exciting and valuable book. In considering the role and importance of cultural competence in professional practice with diverse populations, it provides a refreshing and much needed approach to social work theory and practice′ - Kwame Owusu-Bempah, Reader in Psychology, University of Leicester Anti-Oppressive Social Work: A Guide for Developing Cultural Competence aims to improve social work training and practice by arguing that a thorough understanding of people′s values, social norms and family arrangements are crucial to achieving culturally sensitive practice. The book moves beyond traditional conceptions of anti-oppressive and anti-racist practice by exploring the cultural heritages of some of the main ethnic minorities living in the United Kingdom, and by identifying the many forms that racism can take. The book includes: " an introduction to the context and history of ethnic minorities living in Britain " a discussion of the nature of racism " individual chapters on: communities with roots in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Caribbean, and China. " a separate chapter on economic migrants, refugees and asylum seekers " a range of practice examples which encourage students and practitioners to identify general principles which underpin cultural competence. Critical, yet acessible, the book opens up possibilities for more culturally aware and more effective social work practice. It will be essential reading for all those training to become social workers as well as practitioners wishing to engage with fresh perspectives on anti-oppressive practice. Siobhan Laird is a lecturer in social work at the University of Sheffield. She has previously worked in practice and academic roles in Northern Ireland and Ghana.
Praise for the first edition "Finally, a social work practice text that makes a difference! This is the book that you have wished for but could never find. Although similar to texts that cover a range of practice theories and approaches to clinical practice, this book clearly has a social work frame of reference and a social work identity." --Gayla Rogers, Dean of the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary The major focus of this second edition is the same; to provide an overview of theories, models, and therapies for direct social work practice, including systems theory, attachment theory, cognitive-behavioral theory, narrative therapy, solution-focused therapy, the crisis intervention model, and many more. However, this popular textbook goes beyond a mere survey of such theories. It also provides a framework for integrating the use of each theory with central social work principles and values, as well as with the artistic elements of practice. This second edition has been fully updated and revised to include: A new chapter on Relational Theory, and newly-rewritten chapters by new authors on Cognitive-Behavioral Theory, Existential Theory, and Wraparound Services New critique of the Empirically Supported Treatment (EST) movement Updated information on the movement toward eclecticism in counseling and psychotherapy A refined conceptualization of the editors' generalist-eclectic approach