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Critical Hermeneutics for Social Work. Edition No. 1
VDM Publishing House, Jan 2009, Pages: 248
The voice of practitioners is rarely heard in social
work publications. Traditional research approaches
perpetuate the divide between theory/research and
practice. This book pioneers a framework for engaging
practitioners in de-constructing taken-for-granted
activities, placing practice at the heart of
research. Through a sequence of focus groups, the
tools of critical hermeneutics are used to explicate
practitioners’ everyday practices in Irish child
protection and welfare, with a particular focus on
prevention. The texts engendered by the process
clearly demonstrate that, in spite of increasing
bureaucracy, high workloads and societal lack of
resources and support, social workers are highly
committed to protecting and improving the welfare of
vulnerable children. Crucial to their ability to do
so is a strong sense of agency – the confidence to
bring about change and to make autonomous decisions.
Through individual and peer reflection, the
hermeneutic process offered a strong antidote to
hopelessness and resignation. The findings propose
exciting possibilities for students, practitioners,
educators and managers in social work and other
caring professions.
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