Feminist Social Work Theory And Practice

Feminist theories of social work have been criticised in recent years for treating women as a uniform category and displaying insufficient sensitivity to the complex ways in which other social divisions (those of race, age, disability, etc.) impact on gender relations. This major text by a leading writer in the field seeks to develop a new framework for feminist social work that takes on board postmodernist arguments to do with difference and power yet retains a commitment to collective solidarity and social change. As such, it will be essential reading for students, educators and practitioners alike in social work.

Feminist theories of social work have been criticised in recent years for treating women as a uniform category and displaying insufficient sensitivity to the complex ways in which other social divisions (those of race, age, disability, etc.) impact on gender relations. This major text by a leading writer in the field seeks to develop a new framework for feminist social work that takes on board postmodernist arguments to do with difference and power yet retains a commitment to collective solidarity and social change. As such, it will be essential reading for students, educators and practitioners alike in social work.

"This book takes a contemporary look at the issues that affect women most from a feminist perspective. Going beyond the equal pay for equal work issue, we write about mental health, substance abuse, disabilities, parenting, relationships, criminal justice, and aging all from a holistic and intersectional perspective"--

This invaluable guidebook accomplishes what many others on feminist theory do not. It reviews both the theories and the applications of the field. Too frequently, books and articles tend to focus on one or two ways for practicing feminism, when, in reality, different problems, different groups of women, and different goals may require a different theory for guiding objectiveness, strategies, and work style. Using the wrong theory for a particular group or problem may backfire, causing unexpected outcomes. This book circumvents such unforeseen results. Feminist Theories and Social Work reviews the most important theories of today, evaluates the contributions and limitations of each branch, and for each theory, provides application examples at several levels of intervention.

One of feminism's key contributions to improving social work practice has been to expose the gender-blindness which has characterized social work policy and literature. Working with Men extends and diversifies this contribution by presenting a controversial collection of essays written by feminists about men. In what has been a previously unexplored area of social work, the contributors to Working with Men, feminist academics, researchers and practitioners, explore the issue of feminist practice with men highlighting the dilemmas which they have encountered in undertaking this work. They contend that for too long feminists have ignored the issue of direct work with men. The argument that men must take responsibility for their own reconstruction they assert is no longer sustainable: feminists must generate their own discourse about the nature of men and masculinity derived from their own experience of critically engaging with and challenging men. The contributors conclude that direct work with men is a legitimate feminist activity; that it is one important strand of a broader strategy whose ultimate goal is the empowerment of women. This book will be valuable reading for all students of social work and applied social science as well as social work practitioners and managers.

Tracing key ideas in feminist social work from the 1970s through to the present day, and using data from interviews with female social workers, this book examines and explores the current state of feminist social work.

This thought-provoking book explores the 'whats,' 'whys,' and 'hows' of integrating feminist theory and methods into applied research and evaluation practice. Illustrative cases drawn from U.S. and international studies address a range of social and health issues. The book provides an overview of feminist theory and research strategies as well as detailed discussions of how to use a feminist lens, practical steps and challenges in implementation, and what feminist methods contribute to research and evaluation projects. Reflections at the close of each section invite the reader to consider key questions and common themes across the chapters. With a focus on social justice models, the book covers ways to conduct feminist research and evaluation in effective, innovative, and culturally competent ways in diverse social and cultural contexts.

This text introduces social workers to the burgeoning feminist scholarship on relational theories and their practical application with diverse populations. It emphasizes the application of the basic relational concepts in a readable and comprehensive way, developing an approach to practice which is useful for both social workers and clients.