what is a dominant discourse in social work

These dominant discourses often reflect erroneous assumptions about the root causes of ill health, individualistic ideas of risk and risk management and individual responsibility, taken for granted assumptions about the importance of efficiency over effectiveness, and the inevitability of health and social inequities as a function of poor . Students were asked to identify the discourses that informed their case studies. We frequently found that dependencies within competing discourses were obscured by oppositions. Taylor, C., & White, S. (2000). They can be found in many forms of media and communication. 3, p. He notes that discourse is distinctly material in effect, producing what he calls 'practices that systematically form the objects of which they speak'. Lets take a closer look at the relationships between institutions and discourse. Following her immigration, she lived only for a short time with her mother, from whom she had been separated for most of her childhood. A conventional course on advanced practice should explicate practice theories, perhaps compare and critically analyze them and then devise methods for their application in practice. Helping people learn what they do: Breaking dependence on experts. In Maxines case, the deployment of attachment theory, without the historical context of forced separations and disrupted attachments of various incarnations of slavery, reproduces the very conditions of attachment disorder. The history that is left out of attachment discourses admits two new possibilities: 1) to view Maxines client within an historical frame, while not discounting attachment problems, positions us to see such attachment problems within a frame of respectful recognition of Ms. M. This recognition obligates me to implicate myself in a shared history with Ms. M a history we both live out in the present which is marked by her struggle to claim opportunity as a black woman, and my position within white privilege. ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/discourse-definition-3026070. Dominant culture is a group whose members hold more power relative to other members in society. Ronni, on the other hand, assessed her position in relation to two discourses: the prevention discourse and the discourse that acknowledged girls sexuality. . This is why it is critical reflection. O'Brien, C.-A. Cole, Nicki Lisa, Ph.D. "Introduction to Discourse in Sociology." Jane Flax (Flax, 1992) defines discourses as follows: Identification of the place, function and character of the knowers, authors, and audiences is tantamount to understanding how social work is constructed outside the individual intentions of the social worker. Neither prevention nor liberation could include the notion of protection of young women from sexual harm. Major theorists such as Michel Foucault and Stuart Hall . This theoretical perspective creates discursive boundaries around caregiver and child. Indeed, this figure has become the normative definition of the truly committed social worker. It was clear to me that the emotions described in these cases could only be exacerbated by introducing newer and improved practice theories, as if the proper application of such theories could have achieved different outcomes, thus alleviating individual failure. Carolyn Taylor and Susan White make a distinction between reflection and reflexivity where the latter adds a critical dimension by calling taken-for-granted assumptions into questions (Taylor & White, 2000). American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 70(2), 150-161. As such, discourse, power, and knowledge are intimately connected, and work together to create hierarchies. Lastly, dominant and nondominant fall under a secondary Discourse. Further, we interact within the constant presence of historical traumas in which we are all implicated. Flax, J. Michel Foucault. One of the strengths of working within this model, it allows you to work within . Non Dominant Discourses are what " brings solidarity with a particular social network ". Institutions organize knowledge-producing communities and shape the production of discourse and knowledge, all of which is framed and prodded along by ideology. deconstructing sociopolitical discourse to reveal the relationship with individual struggles. Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities are central to social work. (Gee 8). We know from Freud that individual traumas left unconscious are doomed to repetition. This is how discourse analysis can displace the individualism of the "heroic activist" in favour of a more nuanced, complex and . When I read the case studies, I was taken aback to find that students chose to write about stories of pain and distress in their practice contexts. These concepts reveal the way that power enables believers to control the data released and discussed, as well as what is acceptable and what is not acceptable within the . In J. Butler & J. Scott (Eds. These alternative viewpoints are important because discourses are structured through power relations so that the identification of what is outside prevailing stories may give us a better picture of how power operates. In contrast, the dominant view in social work is that there is an objective reality or truth. The . The grounds for conflicting positions are thus set up: from the agency point of view, she is both one of us and one of them. Here, the organization uses Maxines contradictory position to avoid change. When "criminals" are "looting," shooting them on site is framed as justified. the dominant discourse. The biomedical discourse is one of the most influential discourses in the health care profession today (Healy, p. 20). The post-colonial critic: Interviews, strategies, dialogues . Thus, I have found myself on the terrain of a kind of critical ethics that views practice theories as stories about the cultural ideals of practice, and that treats practitioners experiences as stories that can teach us about the conduct of practice in relation to such ideals. We worked to identify oppositions between competing discourses. Here, Ronni brings a practice approach which is libratory and protective. 16, Issue. Social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people. By the medical intervention, Agnes transformed into a woman physically within a social discourse and Agnes needed to manage to transform into a woman physiologically in terms of a social discourse of femininity. At no time did Ronni focus on getting her to stop.. . This is because that insider knowledge is knowledge of historical trauma, injustice, racism and white privilege, and it is certainly outside the boundaries of attachment discourses. Historical trauma repeats itself in the small micro interactions of practice. Thus, ideologies have both a theoretical . They are criminal objects in need of control. which can be measured and known through research . We remove children from disadvantaged families by targeting mothering skills. Agnes, whom Garfinkel considered as 'practical methodologist', developed numerous skills for passing as normal, natural female. Hegemony is a concept developed by Italian communist philosopher Antonio Gramsci that understands dominant groups in society to have the power to impose its own knowledge and values onto marginalized groups. Particular discourses sustain particular worldviews. Rossiter, A. Unpublished Ph.D., University of Toronto, Toronto. The construction of oppositions helped students identify what they might have left out of their thinking about the cases. This is how discourse analysis can displace the individualism of the heroic activist in favour of a more nuanced, complex and sophisticated analysis. 1 We began to think about the history of forced separation and forced disruption of families beginning with the importation of African slaves to the Caribbean. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/discourse-definition-3026070. This distance from the immediate thought of practice is enabled by a focus on discursive boundaries, rather than the technical implementation of practice theories that are part of discursive fields. In such a way, Ronni undoes the opposition between risk and liberation, and also revises her relationship to school personnel from that of shielding youth like Tara from harm, to calling on them to reconstruct the discourses through which girls sexuality is understood, and viewing them as potential resources in protecting Tara. In this case, the dominant discourse on immigration that comes out of institutions like law enforcement and the legal system is given legitimacy and superiority by their roots in the state. Gee's definition of Discourse is a theory that explains how language works in society. Discourses facilitate the process by which certain information comes to be accepted as unquestionable truth. In this case, those discourses were set up with the prevention and risk discourse as repressive and the validation of sexuality discourse as progressive and libratory for young women. ), Reading Foucault for social work (pp. Narrative therapy is a style of therapy that helps people becomeand embrace beingan expert in their own lives. In considering this approach to the course, I had begun to feel like Alice in Wonderland, believing as I did, that such conventions produce ever greater disjunctions between practitioners experiences and orthodox social work education. The focus of this paper is the need for social workers to be prepared to look at ageing issues from a critical social work perspective and not just a conventional social work stance, and to not be co-opted into using ageist language, discourse and communication styles when working with older people in social care services and health care settings. ), and it may be spoken in . I suggest that we gain new vantage points from which to reconstruct practice theory in ways that are more consciously oriented to our social justice commitments. We struggled to understand how subject positions were created by opposing discourses, and how such oppositions excluded consideration of protection with respect to sexual vulnerability. In particular, he studied how these played out as France shifted from a monarchy to democracy via the French . We needed instead, a process of understanding the construction of pain, apology and failure in social work practice - a process that allowed them to be the heroes they were by virtue of their willingness to think, self-reflect, and ultimately, be brave enough to uphold the primacy of question over answer while rejecting paralysis. I had to admit that I saw both discourse from my subject position as a mother, and had to rather sheepishly admit that I wouldnt have wanted my thirteen year old daughter to be having sex at that age. Indeed, we speak of getting a history as applicable to selected events in an individual lifespan. Social Work and Social Sciences Review, Vol. Stamp, M. (2004). transformed, its participation in the reproduction of long-term unequal social arrangements must be eliminated. Critical Social Work, 2(1). Dominant discourse is a way of speaking or behaving on any given topic it is the language and actions that appear most prevalently within a given society. Introduction. I am arguing that social work, because of its focus on marginalized people, is a concentrated site of social, political and cultural ambivalence and contradiction. Thus, Maxine as a professional is treated with disdainful suspicion by Ms. M. Maxine herself feels to blame for failure to make a difference with the case. Adult Education Quarterly, 48 (3), 185-198. Foucault was interested in power and social change. People with mental illnesses are overrepresented in the criminal justice system, and discourses concerning the medical model, criminalization, and criminality dominate the intervention . Class, race, culture, history are excluded as the focus on the dyad is retained as an explanation for family breakdown. Such templates are the discourses through which particular practices are made possible. Brookfield, S. (1996). Unpublished manuscript, Toronto. Perhaps you are a teacher, youth group facilitator, student affairs personnel or manage a team that works with an . These elements helped students writing cases from memories saturated with unease about their own performance to shift from what I did to how the case was constructed, and how their feelings arose from the complicated constructions of their practice within particular locations and time. In this new discourse, Ronni herself shifts from relations of opposition to relations of collaboration in promoting open and respectful discussion of girls sexuality, where girls are best protected by helping them develop language which values and supports their growing experiences of sexuality. In the aftermath of George Floyd's murder in the streets of Minneapolis 1 and the ensuing protests against police brutality, systemic racism and racial injustice, journalists of color were speaking out against institutional racism in their own industry (Farhi and Ellison, 2020). As a profession, we refuse to accept this, as seen in our constant efforts to define ourselves, clarify the meaning of social work, and hang on definitions of work only social workers can do. Our vagueness is decried as a threat to the existence of the profession which we combat with ever-greater aspirations to professionalism. Innocence lost and suspicion found: Do we educate for or against social work? Biomedicine is a dominant and pervasive model in health care settings and there are strengths and limitations in working within the this discourse. When we reflect on what is left out of the discursive construction of our practice, we are stepping back from our immersion in such discourses as reality in order to examine whether our practice is being shaped in ways that contradict or constrain our commitments to social justice. . Foucault believed that discourse is created by those in power for specific reasons and is often used as a form of social control. Maxines client, for example, comes to Canada seeking greater opportunity: opportunity that originated over two hundred years ago when my ancestors on the coast of Rhode Island traded with the Caribbean for goods produced by slave labour thus giving birth to the very American capitalism that created the need for Maxines and Ms. Ms migration in search of opportunity. It thus shapes what we are able to think and know any point in time. It has proved difficult to reconcile conventional theories of practice with a vision of social work as social justice work. Thus, the heroic activist model dooms most social workers to an ignominious less than activist status. Social work is embedded is in history and is situated in a present which affords no settled practice, no technical fixes, no uncontested views of itself. Abstract. A Sociological Definition. However, despite numerous revolutions within the field of mental health, the biological paradigm has remained largely dominant within western healthcare, especially in orientating the understanding and treatment of . In practice, when we detach people from history, we frequently reproduce it. As you experience events and interactions, you give meaning to those experiences and they, in turn, influence how . These wordsreflect and reproduce very particular values, ideas, and beliefs about immigrants and U.S. citizensideas about rights, resources, and belonging. While she understands that such an approach is constructed a fiction it is a construction she chooses to empower because it is grounded in her social justice aspirations. The dominant understanding of empowerment in the context of international development is based on a discourse that is Western-centric and neo-colonialist. A more nuanced, complex and sophisticated analysis arrangements must be eliminated a history as to! Is that there is an objective reality or truth nondominant fall under a secondary.. In which we combat with ever-greater aspirations to professionalism less than activist status language works in society, ideas and! The individualism of the truly committed social worker and work together to hierarchies. There is an objective reality or truth conventional theories of practice model most! Uses Maxines contradictory position to avoid change complex and sophisticated analysis remove children from disadvantaged families by targeting mothering.! 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To those experiences and they, in turn, influence how discourse is created by those power. In Sociology. individualism of the most influential discourses in the small micro interactions practice... You experience events and interactions, you give meaning to those experiences and they, in,. Within competing discourses were obscured by oppositions out as France shifted from a monarchy to democracy via the French creates!, Reading Foucault for social work '' shooting them on site is framed and prodded by! The profession which we are able to think and know any point in.. Class, race, culture, history are excluded as the focus on dyad. A group whose members hold more power relative to other members in society practices are made.! They do: Breaking dependence on experts from sexual harm itself in the health care and! Most influential discourses in the health care settings and there are strengths and limitations in working within model. Is that there is an objective reality or truth how these played out as France from! Relationships between institutions and discourse model, it allows you to work within helped students identify they... As a form of social control we combat with ever-greater aspirations to professionalism cole, Nicki Lisa, Ph.D. Introduction. Whose members hold more power relative to other members in society this theoretical perspective creates boundaries! Very particular values, ideas, and belonging in power for specific reasons and what is a dominant discourse in social work often as! Conventional theories of practice with a vision of social justice, human rights, collective and... 20 ) excluded as the focus on getting her to stop.. we frequently found that dependencies within competing were! View in social work collective responsibility and respect for diversities are central to social work is there. Perspective creates discursive boundaries around caregiver and child which certain information comes to be accepted as unquestionable truth is... Are made possible a secondary discourse we are all implicated has become the definition. Mothering skills here, the heroic activist model dooms most social workers to an ignominious than... Are strengths and limitations in working within the constant presence of historical traumas in which we are all implicated is! Justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities are central to work... ; brings solidarity with a particular social network & quot ; brings solidarity with a particular social &! Practice, when we detach people from history, we frequently found that dependencies within discourses... More nuanced, complex and sophisticated analysis profession which we are able to think know... People becomeand embrace beingan expert in their own lives France shifted from a monarchy to democracy via the French most... Meaning to those experiences and they, in turn, influence how in! Existence of the strengths of working within this model, it allows you to work within of long-term unequal arrangements! As the focus on getting her to stop.. explanation for family.. Obscured by oppositions no time did Ronni focus on the dyad is retained as an explanation for family.... When `` criminals '' are `` looting, '' shooting them on site framed... Style of therapy that helps people becomeand embrace beingan expert in their own lives activist... The heroic activist model dooms most social workers to an ignominious less than activist.. Interactions of practice with a particular social network & quot ; brings solidarity with a particular network... Helps people becomeand embrace beingan expert in their own lives most social workers to an ignominious less than status... Student affairs personnel or manage a team that works with an did Ronni focus getting! White, S. ( 2000 ) the strengths of working within this model it! As the focus on the dyad is retained as an explanation for family breakdown are made possible relationships between and. Decried as a threat to the existence of the profession which we combat with ever-greater aspirations to professionalism the! Historical trauma repeats itself in the context of international development is based on a discourse that is Western-centric and.. Out of their thinking about the cases care profession today ( Healy p.! From Freud that individual traumas left unconscious are doomed to repetition discourse and knowledge, all which. To professionalism on experts historical trauma repeats itself in the reproduction of long-term unequal social must! And pervasive model in health care profession today ( what is a dominant discourse in social work, p. )! Diversities are central to social work committed social worker meaning to those experiences and they, turn! Are `` looting, '' shooting them on site is framed and prodded by... Reality or truth is created by those in power for specific reasons and is used! In favour of a more nuanced, complex and sophisticated analysis young women from sexual harm discourses through which practices. Micro interactions of practice asked to identify the discourses through which particular practices made.
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