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British Journal of Social Work (2003) 33, 1-16
© 2003 British Association of Social Workers
Rethinking Professional Practice: The contributions of Social Constructionism and the Feminist ‘Ethics of Care’
Nigel Parton is Professor in Child Care and Director of the Centre for Applied Childhood Studies at the University of Huddersfield. His most recent book (with Patrick O'Byrne) is entitled Constructive Social Work: Towards a New Practice (2000, Macmillan/St Martin's Press).
Correspondence to Professor Nigel Parton, Centre for Applied Childhood Studies, School of Human and Health Sciences, University of Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UK. E-mail: n.parton{at}hud.ac.uk
Summary
Drawing upon social constructionist and postmodern perspectives, together with recent feminist debates about ‘the ethics of care’, this paper reflects upon the productive ways in which contemporary social work can be thought about, organized and practised professionally. It argues that an emphasis on: process; plurality of both knowledge and voice; possibility; and the relational quality of knowledge are key elements in taking these issues forward. In contrast to the traditions of abstract and instrumental reasoning where the pursuit of knowledge is intertwined with the pursuit of control, the importance of sensory knowledge, symbolized by the unity of hand, head and heart is underlined.
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