Overview
- Provides an account of the treatment of theory and ethics in social work research and scholarship
- Offers a unique approach by bringing together the complementary dimensions of theory with each other
- Examines theory and ethics as applied specifically to the nature and purpose of social work
Part of the book series: Social Work (SOWO)
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Table of contents (26 entries)
Keywords
- social work ethics
- social work practice theory
- social work values and principles
- psychological theory
- systems theory
- critical theory
- post-human and post-anthropocentric theory
- postcolonial and decolonising theory
- person-centred approaches
- problem-centred approaches
- anti-oppressive practice
- feminist social work
- environmental practice and 'green' social work
- developmental social work
- Indigenous social work practices
- human rights and social justice
- virtue ethics
- ethics of care
- ethical pluralism
- post-human ethics
About this book
This reference work addresses the ideas that shape social work. Much of the social work literature addresses questions of theory and ethics separately, so that the body of thought that is represented in social work scholarship and research creates a distinction between them. However, the differences between these categories of thought can be somewhat arbitrary. For example, feminist theory and feminist ethics are often interlinked, as can be environmental theory and ethics, or post-structural and postmodern theory and ethics. This volume seeks to go beyond this simple separation of categories. Although it recognises that questions of theory and ethics may be addressed distinctly, the connections between them can be made evident and drawn out by analysing them alongside each other.
Social work's use and development of theory can be understood in two complementary ways. First, theory from the social sciences and other disciplines can be applied for social work; second, considered, systematic examinations of practice have enabled theory to be developed out of social work. These different approaches are usually referred to as 'theory for practice' and 'practice theory'. The advancement of social work theory occurs often through the interplay between these two dimensions, through research and scholarship in the field.
Similarly, social work ethics draw on principles and concepts that have their roots in philosophical inquiry and also involve applied analysis in the particular issues with which social workers engage and their practices in doing so. In this way social work contributes to wider debates through advancement of its own perspectives and knowledge gained through practice.
Theory and Ethics of Social Work offers a unique approach by bringing together the complementary dimensions of theory with each other and at the same time with ethical research and scholarship. In this way itpresents an analysis of the ideas of social work in a way that enables connections between them to be identified and explored. This reference is essential reading for social work practitioners, researchers, policy-makers, academics and students, as well as an invaluable resource for universities, research institutes, government ministries and departments, major non-governmental organisations, and professional associations of social work.
Social work's use and development of theory can be understood in two complementary ways. First, theory from the social sciences and other disciplines can be applied for social work; second, considered, systematic examinations of practice have enabled theory to be developed out of social work. These different approaches are usually referred to as 'theory for practice' and 'practice theory'. The advancement of social work theory occurs often through the interplay between these two dimensions, through research and scholarship in the field.
Similarly, social work ethics draw on principles and concepts that have their roots in philosophical inquiry and also involve applied analysis in the particular issues with which social workers engage and their practices in doing so. In this way social work contributes to wider debates through advancement of its own perspectives and knowledge gained through practice.
Theory and Ethics of Social Work offers a unique approach by bringing together the complementary dimensions of theory with each other and at the same time with ethical research and scholarship. In this way itpresents an analysis of the ideas of social work in a way that enables connections between them to be identified and explored. This reference is essential reading for social work practitioners, researchers, policy-makers, academics and students, as well as an invaluable resource for universities, research institutes, government ministries and departments, major non-governmental organisations, and professional associations of social work.
Editors and Affiliations
About the editors
​Dorothee Hölscher, PhD, is a social work lecturer in the School of Nursing Midwifery & Social Work at The University of Queensland in Australia and a research associate with the Department of Social Work & Criminology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. Previously, she worked at Griffith University (Australia) and the Universities of KwaZulu Natal, and the Witwatersrand (South Africa). Currently, she serves on the editorial board of the journal, Ethics & Social Welfare (ESW).Dorothee began her social work education in Germany, followed by the completion of a Master of Social Science (cum laude) and a Ph.D. (by publication) in South Africa. Her practice experience comprises social work with refugees and other cross-border migrants, community development, and child protection.
Dorothee’s research areas are applied ethics (with a focus on justice) in higher education and social work practice, anti-oppressive social work theory, and social work with migrants and culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Having participated as co-investigator in four international research projects at the intersection of higher education and social justice, Dorothees’s research skill set comprises a wide range of qualitative and post-qualitative methodologies. To date, she published one monograph and over 39 edited collections, book chapters, and scholarly articles, serves as a reviewer for eight local and international journals, and presents regularly at local and international conferences.
Richard Hugman, PhD, is Emeritus Professor of Social Work in the School of Social Sciences (SoSS) at University of New South Wales, Australia. He has practised, taught and researched social work in Australia and the UK. He has also worked as an independent consultant, most notably for UNICEF Vietnam (from 2004 to 2022). Richard’s work has variously focused on professional ethics, social development, refugees and forced migration, mental health, and social work with issues of late life. He has published widely in these areas, as well as being an editor or member of editorial boards of several major social work journals. In addition, Richard was the ethics commissioner of the International Federation of Social Workers (2008-2014) and a member of the ‘expert panel’ which drafted the 2004 international statement on ethics for social work. He was a Foundation Fellow of the Australian College of Social Work.
Donna McAuliffe, PhD, is Professor and Academic Lead for Social Work in the School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University, Australia. Donna completed her PhD on ethical dilemmas in social work practice at the University of Queensland in 2000 after many years of practice in mental health, legal social work, community development and social policy. Her primary focus area of teaching and research is professional and applied ethics and she has developed a well-known model of ethical decision making that is widely used in social work education. Donna is sole author of the second edition text,Interprofessional Ethics: Collaboration in the Social, Health and Human Services published by Cambridge University Press. She is also lead co-author of the 7th edition text, The Road to Social Work and Human Service Practice, published by Cengage. She has a longstanding commitment to Editorial Boards of journals, including Ethics and Social Welfare, International Social Work, and International Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics. She regularly reviews for a number of other national and international journals. Donna has been actively involved in revisions of the Australian social work Code of Ethics and is a Life Member of the Australian Association of Social Workers. She is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Dorothee’s research areas are applied ethics (with a focus on justice) in higher education and social work practice, anti-oppressive social work theory, and social work with migrants and culturally and linguistically diverse communities. Having participated as co-investigator in four international research projects at the intersection of higher education and social justice, Dorothees’s research skill set comprises a wide range of qualitative and post-qualitative methodologies. To date, she published one monograph and over 39 edited collections, book chapters, and scholarly articles, serves as a reviewer for eight local and international journals, and presents regularly at local and international conferences.
Richard Hugman, PhD, is Emeritus Professor of Social Work in the School of Social Sciences (SoSS) at University of New South Wales, Australia. He has practised, taught and researched social work in Australia and the UK. He has also worked as an independent consultant, most notably for UNICEF Vietnam (from 2004 to 2022). Richard’s work has variously focused on professional ethics, social development, refugees and forced migration, mental health, and social work with issues of late life. He has published widely in these areas, as well as being an editor or member of editorial boards of several major social work journals. In addition, Richard was the ethics commissioner of the International Federation of Social Workers (2008-2014) and a member of the ‘expert panel’ which drafted the 2004 international statement on ethics for social work. He was a Foundation Fellow of the Australian College of Social Work.
Donna McAuliffe, PhD, is Professor and Academic Lead for Social Work in the School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University, Australia. Donna completed her PhD on ethical dilemmas in social work practice at the University of Queensland in 2000 after many years of practice in mental health, legal social work, community development and social policy. Her primary focus area of teaching and research is professional and applied ethics and she has developed a well-known model of ethical decision making that is widely used in social work education. Donna is sole author of the second edition text,Interprofessional Ethics: Collaboration in the Social, Health and Human Services published by Cambridge University Press. She is also lead co-author of the 7th edition text, The Road to Social Work and Human Service Practice, published by Cengage. She has a longstanding commitment to Editorial Boards of journals, including Ethics and Social Welfare, International Social Work, and International Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics. She regularly reviews for a number of other national and international journals. Donna has been actively involved in revisions of the Australian social work Code of Ethics and is a Life Member of the Australian Association of Social Workers. She is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Social Work Theory and Ethics
Book Subtitle: Ideas in Practice
Editors: Dorothee Hölscher, Richard Hugman, Donna McAuliffe
Series Title: Social Work
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-3059-0
Publisher: Springer Singapore
eBook Packages: Social Sciences, Reference Module Humanities and Social Sciences, Reference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences
eBook ISBN: 978-981-16-3059-0Due: 18 March 2023
Series ISSN: 2946-5052
Series E-ISSN: 2946-5060
Number of Pages: XX, 400
Number of Illustrations: 10 b/w illustrations, 10 illustrations in colour
Topics: Education, general, Social Work, Social Work and Community Development, Ethics, Social Work