“Queer Eye” for Social Work: Rethinking Pedagogy and Practice with Same-sex Attracted Young People

Abstract

Dominant discourses on sexualities construct limited representations and understanding of same-sex attracted young people, often resulting in material and detrimental effects for young people who do not fit the heterosexual mould. Traditionally, social work theory and practice with same-sex attracted young people has relied on ethnic and essentialised models for understanding sexual difference. In the present article, the author reviews current literature on same-sex attracted young people and sexualities, arguing that key elements from queer theory invite social workers to rethink pedagogy and practice with sexually diverse groups. With its critical eye for deconstructing dominant models of sexuality, queer theory provides an alternative framework for informing social work practice. Implications for working in narrative ways with same-sex attracted young people through co-authorship are discussed.     

Fetishizing the health sciences: Queer theory as an intervention

Queer theory often falls impotent in its palatability across disciplinary lines. I offer a conceptual article that interrogates the dis-ease and divide when considering queer theory in and for the health sciences. In so doing, I look to foster a process of making queer theory more tenable to applied practice—and to make practice in social work, at least, more queer. The exemplar of HIV is deconstructed as a preeminent discourse and health disparity. In the end, it is argued that queer theory may be an essential intervention in the arsenal of the helping professions.     

Absent in theory,invisible in practice: Queering HBSE for a more inclusive social work profession

A sound theoretical foundation is a necessary element of social work education that prepares students to confront the challenges of practice with critical knowledge of the human experience. Queer theory is a strength-based framework for understanding sexual and gender identities that fall outside of the current social norms, and offers a highly relevant and useful pathway for the education of social work practitioners. Despite its utility for enhancing understanding and acceptance of gender and sexual minority (SGM) people, it is underutilized in social work compared with other disciplines. Additionally, this study reports on the gender and sexual identities of social work students and their endorsement of help-seeking behaviors related to issues of gender and sexual nonconformity. These empirical-based perspectives undergird the tenets of queer theory and support its application in research endeavors aimed at better understanding the human experience. A theoretical and empirical-based argument is made for the queering of HBSE to strengthen both explicit and implicit curricula in social work education. This study expands on the limited usage of queer theory within social work and directly challenges the normative and binary nature of sexual and gender identity evident within the professional literature and implications for education and research are offered.     

The role of critical social work education in improving ethical practice with refugees and asylum seekers

ABSTRACT

This paper uses critical reflection as its primary methodology to research one Master of Social Work student’s former practice experiences as an Australian immigration officer. The paper contextualizes the study by offering a critical analysis of hegemonic constructions of asylum seekers in Australia, which are reflected in Australian law and policy, as well as potentially influencing social work practice. Critical reflection on one of the author’s practice provides a rich case study that reveals the tensions of government-employed social workers in restrictive environments, and the espoused social justice values of the profession. The findings hold implications for both social work education and practice, suggesting that critical social work education, and in particular, the use of critical analysis and reflection, can improve ethical practice with refugees and asylum seekers.     

How the Right Usurped the Queer Agenda: Frame Co‐optation in Political Discourse

This article draws on a case study of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) and queer politics in Vermont to explain the conditions under which radical discourse gains and loses a public voice. In contrast to claims that the marginalization of queer discourse is due to silencing by LGBT rights activists or to litigation strategies, we argue that variation in queer discourse over time is the result of the co‐optation of queer discourse and goals by opponents. Extending the social movement literature on frame variation, we argue that opponents co‐opt discourse when they adopt aspects of the content of a movement's discourse, while subverting its intent. We show that conservative LGBT rights opponents co‐opted queer discourse. As a result, queer positions lost their viability as the discursive field in which those arguments were made was fundamentally altered. Because queer positions became less tenable, we see the withdrawal of queer discourse from the mainstream and alternative LGBT media. Our work both supports and builds on research on frame variation by demonstrating how discourse can change over time in response to the interplay between changing aspects of the political and cultural landscape and the discourse of opponents.     

Mobility and Privilege Within Queer Studies and University

In this essay, the author considers how classist divisions present within queer studies may well be exacerbated by the institutionalization of queer studies within university. In particular, she examines the class privilege that attends both queer theory's and university's deployment of travel metaphors. In both cases, the language of travel is the potentially empowering language of intellectual agility and social mobility. Importantly, though, both queer theorists' and university administrators' employment of travel metaphors often serves to reaffirm cultural hegemony, specifically to sustain rather than to examine and combat social oppression. This sad irony is particularly apparent when one compares university representations of commuter and residential students. Thus, the question that faces universities is how to keep queer studies critically queer so that universities can recognize and address the various forms or models of social mobility that are present on their campuses, commuter as well as residential.     

Social Work Practice in Higher Education

This article examines two cases of social work practice in higher education within the context of identifying a model of social practice for use in postsecondary educational settings. The case studies provide insight into a model of social work practice that reflects both the traditional clinical model, which focuses on individual change, and the school-community-pupil relations model, which focuses on system change. The author also discusses implications for social work educators who see college/university counseling centers as an arena for social work practice.     

Questioning Gender and Sexuality Binaries

Abstract

Social work has largely adopted the oppression model in our research, practice, education, policy and advocacy work. These essentialist constructions rely on the binary categorizations of male/female and heterosexuality/homosexuality. Largely missing from the mainstream social work literature are the perspectives of postmodern/queer theorists, the latest sex research, and the experience of transgendered individuals. These perspectives offer critiques of gender and sexuality binaries as well as libratory goals for social justice. Tensions between the postmodern perspective and the social work liberal model are discussed, and suggestions for incorporating the ideas emanating from queer theorists, new sex research, and the lived experiences of the transgendered into all areas of social work are offered.     

Serving queer survivors of intimate partner violence through diversity,inclusion, and social justice

Queer individuals are at a heightened vulnerability to experience intimate partner violence (IPV). However, social supports for IPV survivors are often designed for cisgender and heterosexual individuals. Guided by a queer theoretical lens, this study uses interview data from seven service providers purposefully sampled through queer-serving organizations to explore how professionals can better serve queer survivors. A phenomenological analysis of the data suggests the use of three broad practice approaches: diversity, inclusion, and social justice. First, practitioners and staff discussed how they incorporated diversity by representing their clients’ backgrounds and histories. Second, they described inclusion through creating affirming spaces that recognize the unique needs of queer survivors. Last, they offered strategies related to social justice, such as implementing anti-oppressive frameworks, empowering clients beyond service provision, and being/creating advocates for social change. Together, these approaches and related strategies suggest ways to provide responsive practice for queer IPV survivors.     

Linking Social Welfare Policy and Global Problems

This article is a case study of an advanced social welfare policy seminar that explored the interconnections between global threats such as violence and warfare, environmental degradation, poverty, and immigration, and the current and future endeavors of the social work profession. The author describes the theoretical underpinnings and format of the seminar, examines four propositions or lessons that emerged from the course, and analyzes the implications of these lessons for social work practice, research, and education.     

Achieving Shared Meaning in Cross-Cultural Dialogue

Abstract

Based on a qualitative study of the Twin Cities Hmong community, this paper offers a case study of a Hmong family's response to a situation in which a woman who is a member of their family has been chronically physically abused by her husband. The case illustrates the challenges of understanding the family's reactions in light of their cultural context as well as the implications for social work practice. An excerpt of a verbatim interview between the author and a subject from the study is provided. The specifics of the cultural values, protocol for handling conflict and communication patterns that contribute to understanding what has occurred are discussed. The author then discusses the challenges for the social work practitioner of simultaneously maintaining the ethical values of honoring diversity and protection of the oppressed.     

“I Didn’t Feel Equipped”: Social Work Students’ Reflections on a Simulated Client “Coming Out”

Few studies have examined social work students’ reflections on and experiences working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and questioning persons and addressing the intersection of race/ethnicity and sexuality within practice. This study explored current master’s of social work student (n = 11) and recent graduate (n = 7) reflections on conducting an objective structured clinical practice interaction with an African Canadian youth coming out as a lesbian. Narrative thematic analyses of reflective dialogues highlighted a variation of competence in gay affirmative practice across attitudes (managing personal reactions), knowledge (addressing diversity; terminology and information), and skills (readiness; challenging heterosexism). Curriculum development and agency-based training is recommended to address gaps in knowledge and competence regarding gay affirmative approaches.     

Does it get better? LGBTQ social work students and experiences with harmful discourse

Although the field of social work is grounded in social justice, the social work educational experience, including classrooms, may not live up to this value, especially for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, this study examined the experiences of harmful discourse in social work classrooms for LGBTQ students. Findings indicate that students experienced being misgendered, tokenized, and erased through cis-/heteronormative language and classroom teachings. Although social work is guided by frameworks of social justice, microaggressions and discrimination may be vaguely glossed over, if addressed at all. This study highlights the gap between the values social work teaches and how social work education is delivered.     

A Perspective on Critical Social Work

This paper articulates a perspective on critical social work that draws from poststructuralism and critical theory. Arguing that the critique of positivism, the unreliability of generalizations about humans, and the influence of new social movements have undermined the credibility of mainstream social work practice and theory, the author advocates the need for social work theory and practice that is predicated on social justice. The paper offers a critique of structuralist approaches to practice and then seeks to embed social work practice in epistemic responsibility and communicative responsibility.     

From vocational to knowledge-based education - an account of Swedish social work education

This article outlines the historical trajectory of Swedish social work education. Important stages and developmental changes in educational programs are described. As well overall structure of Swedish social work education and training is presented. A number of important issues not only specific to Swedish circumstances but also pertinent to social work education around the world are described and their role is analysed. More specifically, the author focuses on issues of social work as a research discipline, identity of the social work discipline, cleavage and relationship between social work research and social work practice. Social work education, social work practice and social work research are seen in a holistic perspective. The author describes and argues that Swedish social work education has gone from being a non-academic vocational training program to a knowledge-based package of academic discipline.     

The First Interview in Child Protection: Social Work Method and Process

SUMMARY. A particularly problematic aspect of practice is the initial investigation into non-accidental injury. This article describes a social work approach which will be of interest to other disciplines in seeking to understand social work method. Within a task-centred framework, the author outlines three major tasks in initial child protection interviews: safeguarding the child, obtaining an explanation, and establishing a working alliance with the parent. An exploratory interview, following up an allegation of non-accidental injury, is then analysed to highlight the actual social work process or technical moves within it Although a single example is limited in the number of factors it can illustrate, the principle of trying to establish collaborative alliances is clear, if not always possible. The case example should prove useful in training, from whence it has been developed.     

Dilemmas in child care practice and the role for state sponsored social workers

Since the publication of Messages from Research (Department of Health, 1995) there has been intense and extensive debate about the limitations and implications of this summary for contemporary child care practice (Duxbury, 1997; Hughes, 1996; Parton, 1996; Littlechild, 1998; White, 1998). Unsurprisingly, in such a highly contentious arena, there is little consensus as to the appropriateness of the analysis or the recommendations contained in the report, particularly the overview to the research summaries. This short article seeks to add to the debate through the use of case study material to articulate social work practice dilemmas that the author has experienced; practice dilemmas that render problematic some of the assertions contained in Messages from Research. In doing so the author does not seek to undermine the importance of research for practice, as we seek to articulate an appropriate theoretical base for professional interventions in the lives of children and families, but to question whose interests are served by what can be seen as the selective representation of findings. As Stevenson (1991) states, we need to explore and understand what personal, professional and organisational processes may impede the implementation of research in practice within the child care arena. It might also behold us to ask what political or social processes may also impact on the way/s in which research for practice are 'produced' and/or 'consumed'. Overall, the author wishes to engage with, and stimulate further debate around, a core issue for practitioners and students as they explore the contemporary statutory social work role with children and their families.     

ETHNOGRAPHIES OF PRACTICE—PRACTISING ETHNOGRAPHY

This paper argues that acquiring competencies in different approaches and procedures in qualitative or interpretative social research provides a strong foundation for case analysis in professional social work practice. When students of social work become familiar with such research and are encouraged to engage in their own supervised projects they develop skills for a circumspect and sensitive practice with clients. The paper reports on work with students of social work in Germany, which can be described as an attempt to help them to become self‐reflective ethnographers in their own affairs, of their own emergent social work practice. It spells out different phases of a process in which they learn to make their own practice strange. This process consists of developing different competencies in observing, analysing and writing, and requires a setting in which students' written observations and reflections can be shared and discussed by their peers in a critical, egalitarian and supportive manner. The author thinks that such a critical and self‐critical discourse which addresses professional issues in general, as well as the individual student's (or practioner's) experiences and reflections, can have important implications for the collective development of social work and its relationship with other professions.     

Integrating Environmental Issues into Social Work Practice: Lessons Learnt from Domestic Energy Auditing

Abstract

This study of domestic energy audit practice draws on current literature and focuses on a program at Kildonan UnitingCare. It explores and highlights the relevance of natural environmental issues for social work practice and includes practical ideas for addressing financial, social, and environmental issues within case work practice and advocacy. The overlap between energy audit and social work practice is said to apply to both service user issues and the professional skill base of social workers. Finally, a transformation in social work thinking practice and education is suggested, within a vision that is community focused and holistically integrated.     

Homo-Pages and Queer Sites: Studying the Construction and Representation of Queer Identities on the World Wide Web

This essay introduces the reader both to the varieties of representations of queers currently available on US Web servers and to the kinds of critical questions that scholars and activists can ask about such representations. As such, the author surveys, summarizes, and analyzes both pertinent Websites and scholarly writing about queer representation, identity, community, and social agency. Ultimately, the author concludes that analyzing queer self-representation on the Web is a significant scholarly undertaking in that it can help us understand better (1) how queers use, represent themselves, and are represented on the Web, and (2) what such representations might mean for our understanding of ourselves, our cultures, and our future both locally and globally.