Performativity and helping professions: social theory, power and practice

Drawing on Judith Butler's conception of 'performativity', we would argue that the notion has important implications for contemporary debates in international social welfare over agency, subjection and 'resistance'. Professional social workers embedded in discursive institutions function according to particular expectations around performativity. In addition, this organisational context is complex with multiple demands. In light of technologies of surveillance and control in contemporary social work, performativity offers a response to the pressing need to expand notions of worker opposition beyond traditional forms of organised dissent towards the production of subjective space.     

‘Value talk’ in social work research: reflection,rhetoric and reality

This paper begins with an exploration of values in relation to current approaches within social work research thereby revealing tensions between what might broadly be conceived as scientific rigour and relevance to practice. It goes on to examine the purpose of social work research emphasising the notion of the researcher as engaged in a critically reflective dialogic process. Four core values conceived as guiding principles in undertaking research are identified as the basis for further ‘value talk’ in the context of developing culturally sensitive approaches without relinquishing a common sense of purpose in developing knowledge of and for social work practice.     

Effect of Perceived Crisis Response on Consumers' Behavioral Intentions During a Company Scandal – An Intercultural Perspective

In the context of a multi-national company scandal, namely Volkswagen's Dieselgate, we examine the effect of customers' perception of organizational crisis response on their revenge and avoidance intentions in different cultural settings. Using data collected in the US and in Germany, we are able to show that the perception of appropriate crisis response reduces customers' revenge as well as avoidance intentions. However, due to the domestic bias of German respondents, the mechanism linking perception of the organization's crisis response to the respective outcomes differs between Germany and the US. Our results demonstrate for the first time that domestic bias is not always associated with being an amplifier of positive factors; rather, in the context of an organizational scandal, it dampens the effects of organizational crisis response.     

Bonding and bridging among first generation Asian migrants in Australian protestant churches

Around a third of Asian migrants to Australia self-identify as Christians, and many join churches where they meet fellow migrants and other Australians. Churches might thus be places that can foster the integration of Asian migrants into Australian society. This paper uses social network and social capital theory to examine the prevalence of bonding and bridging among 61,386 churchgoers from 2135 Protestant churches who completed the Australian National Church Life Survey in 2011. We compared levels of bonding and bridging social ties of first-generation Asian migrants (FGAM) with Australians born of Australian-born parents (ABOAP). FGAM joining congregations had fewer social ties than ABOAP, and developed bridging (but not bonding) more slowly. FGAM had lower bonding but higher bridging in MonoAnglo congregations compared with Multicultural or MonoAsian congregations. The results suggest that FGAM who are in MonoAnglo churches may be less tightly bound to their congregation, but more likely to bridge beyond it, than are FGAM in multicultural or largely Asian congregations.     

Future Directions: Social Development in the Context of Social Justice

Many societies and cultures have become increasingly diverse and heterogeneous over the past decade. This diversity has a direct bearing on social justice in children's and adolescents' social development. Increased diversity can have positive consequences, such as the possibility for increased empathy, tolerance, perspective taking, and the celebration of various cultural traditions and values, but it can also result in increased prejudice, bias, and discrimination. In this article, we suggest that incorporating a focus on social justice can transform the field of social development. This can be done by considering the larger societal context of diversity or heterogeneity when investigating children's peer interactions, attitudes, group identity, and social experience. In addition, new findings that incorporate social justice concerns have implications for designing interventions to enhance children's healthy social development. We highlight and discuss recent areas of research that bear on this perspective and discuss avenues for future research and investigation.     

Adaptation and Evaluation of a Group Curriculum for Latino Clients in a Driving Under the Influence Program

The purpose of this study was to describe the process of culturally adapting group curriculum modules for Spanish speaking clients in a Driving Under the Influence Program as well as to test the acceptability of these modules. Using the Group Topics Evaluation Scale (English and Spanish version), 90 clients rated six modules that were presented in 30 different group sessions. Spanish speaking clients were significantly more likely to rate all six modules much higher than their English speaking counterparts, indicating acceptability. This is important as driving-under-the-influence programs may provide access to Latino clients not seen elsewhere. Possible further research is discussed.     

The Single Assessment Process in Primary Care: Older People's Accounts of the Process

Recent government policies have been active in addressing socialinclusion and active participation of older people in many aspectsof societal life. Independence and well-being animate thesedevelopments and are evident in the emphasis on person-centredservices within the single assessment process for older people(Department of Health, 2002b). Drawing on a feasibility study of the Single Assessment Processas a ‘case-finding’ approach, this paper presentsfindings drawn from older people’s accounts of this experience.These accounts indicate the potential of the process for identifying‘low-level’ need, whilst raising issues of accessto formal services and resource constraint; also they underlinethe importance of understanding how older people seek ways ofmanaging their own health and well-being, whilst continuingto contribute to the social cohesion of society by providingsupport to their peers and to younger generations. Interdependence, it is suggested, rather than dependence shouldunderlie any approach to assessing older people’s needs,if we are to appreciate and build upon the complexity of olderpeople’s strategies for actively managing their lives.     

Media and Professional Interest in Homelessness over 30 Years (1974–2003)

Media and professional interest in homelessness represent important sources of data that may be useful in understanding broader societal factors influencing this pressing social issue. The present study examined the volume and content of coverage of homelessness in four major newspapers and the professional literature indexed in PsycINFO over the past 30 years. Media coverage showed a steep increase during the mid-1980s, a steady decline throughout the late 1980s and into the 1990s, and a plateau since the mid-1990s. Professional coverage demonstrated a less pronounced and delayed pattern of growth, with no sign of decline during the past decade. Content analysis of 574 newspaper articles revealed a sympathetic focus on deinstitutionalization and other structural causes of homelessness during the period of increasing coverage in the mid-1980s, as well as positive media coverage in terms of an emphasis on critical programs and services during more recent years. Content analysis of 324 professional journal articles showed that deficits and deviant characteristics of homeless people were discussed to a significantly greater extent than the structural causes of homelessness over the entire 30-year time period. Possible interactions among media coverage, professional interest, public opinion, the prevalence of homelessness, and policy initiatives are discussed.     

Attitudes toward lesbians,gay men,bisexual women,and bisexual men in Germany

Attitudes toward lesbians, gay men, bisexual women, and bisexual men were assessed in a national representative sample of 2,006 self‐identified heterosexual women and men living in Germany. Replicating previous findings, younger people held more favorable attitudes than older people; women held more favorable attitudes than men; and men held more favorable attitudes toward female than male homosexuality, whereas women did not differentiate. However, women held more favorable attitudes toward homosexuals than toward bisexuals, whereas men did not differentiate. Knowing a homosexual person was an important predictor of attitudes, as was political party preference. Both same‐sex and opposite‐sex sexual attraction were substantially related with attitudes. Our findings support the notion that attitudes toward lesbians, gay men, bisexual women, and bisexual men are related but distinct constructs.