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Towards a Radical Critique of Social Work and Welfare Ideology
Author(s) -
Pemberton Alec G.,
Locke Ralph G.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
australian journal of social issues
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.417
H-Index - 30
eISSN - 1839-4655
pISSN - 0157-6321
DOI - 10.1002/j.1839-4655.1971.tb00467.x
Subject(s) - ideology , agency (philosophy) , sociology , social welfare , welfare , politics , social work , social order , field (mathematics) , project commissioning , relation (database) , law and economics , social psychology , political economy , social science , political science , publishing , law , psychology , computer science , mathematics , database , pure mathematics
A radical critique of social work and social welfare is proposed, and an outline is given of the process of mystification that occurs when the field of social problems is dominated by a welfare or consensual approach rather than by a conflictual model. With this analytical framework, the role of the social work profession as an agency of social control is examined in terms of its contribution to the persistence of the existing socio‐political order. Finally, the response of the profession is considered in relation to various minority and client groups organizing themselves for social action with a view to securing their civil and political rights.