Encountering Social Work: Ethnographic Inquiry into Social Welfare Systems and Services

SW844, Section 001

formerly: Childhood and Culture

This seminar brings critical cultural theory and ethnographic method to bear on understanding social work discourse and practice. We will explore the "invention" of social work in historical and political context; examine certainties that have informed understandings of social problems and empowerment that have shaped social work theory and practice. Case studies addressing the place of social work in larger projects of colonialist and capitalist expansion will provide an entry point for encountering social work in an international context. We will also consider social work models within cultural and national contexts, and alternative approaches to envisioning social welfare. Seminar participants will develop research skills needed to carry out ethnographic study of social work settings and practices; engage in field work experiences; and prepare a proposal for future research. The ethical and political implications of ethnographic inquiry will be addressed from both social work and anthropological perspectives.