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Chapter 20. Embracing a new professional identity

The case of social work in Botswana
  • Unity Nkateng und Sue Wharton
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Identity Struggles
Ein Kapitel aus dem Buch Identity Struggles

Abstract

Social work in Botswana is a young and rapidly developing profession. In the last fifty or so years, the role of the social worker has changed, from distributing practical help to taking on roles which were previously filled via age- and status-based social structures. Also, since the 1960s social work in Botswana has developed from a largely unqualified, low status job to a graduate profession and this process of identity formation is the focus of this chapter. In particular, we document social workers discussing their professional activities and relating these to the professional structures through which they must attempt to accomplish their goals. Our data is drawn from a series of interviews, and our methodological approach is a combination of directed and inductive content analysis. Issues of identity which emerge include language, belief systems, education, accountability, and the place of the social work profession among other professions. Through our interviews we attempt to collaborate with social workers to theorise the conflicts which are experienced and the avenues which seem most promising for the development of a professional identity which serves the need of the community, clients, and social workers themselves.

Abstract

Social work in Botswana is a young and rapidly developing profession. In the last fifty or so years, the role of the social worker has changed, from distributing practical help to taking on roles which were previously filled via age- and status-based social structures. Also, since the 1960s social work in Botswana has developed from a largely unqualified, low status job to a graduate profession and this process of identity formation is the focus of this chapter. In particular, we document social workers discussing their professional activities and relating these to the professional structures through which they must attempt to accomplish their goals. Our data is drawn from a series of interviews, and our methodological approach is a combination of directed and inductive content analysis. Issues of identity which emerge include language, belief systems, education, accountability, and the place of the social work profession among other professions. Through our interviews we attempt to collaborate with social workers to theorise the conflicts which are experienced and the avenues which seem most promising for the development of a professional identity which serves the need of the community, clients, and social workers themselves.

Kapitel in diesem Buch

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Dedication v
  3. Table of contents vii
  4. Acknowledgements xi
  5. Chapter 1. Introduction 1
  6. Part I. Struggling to construct professional competence
  7. Chapter 2. Coping with uncertainty 21
  8. Chapter 3. Constructing a “competent” meeting chair 39
  9. Chapter 4. Juggling “I”s and “we”s with “he”s and “she”s 57
  10. Chapter 5. Epistemic “Struggles” 79
  11. Chapter 6. Who’s the expert? 95
  12. Part II. Struggling to (de-)construct in-group membership
  13. Chapter 7. You’re a proper tradesman mate 127
  14. Chapter 8. Indian women at work 147
  15. Chapter 9. The dynamics of identity struggle in interdisciplinary meetings in higher education 165
  16. Chapter 10. Laughables as a resource for foregrounding shared knowledge and shared identities in intercultural interactions in Scandinavia 185
  17. Chapter 11. Workplace conflicts as (re)source for analysing identity struggles in stories told in interviews 207
  18. Chapter 12. Identities on a learning curve 225
  19. Part III. Struggling to combine (sometimes competing) expectations
  20. Chapter 13. Managing patients’ expectations in telephone complaints in Scotland 243
  21. Chapter 14. Identity work in nurse-client interactions in selected community hospitals in Kenya 263
  22. Chapter 15. ‘Even if there were procedures, we will be acting at our own discretion…’ 281
  23. Chapter 16. A kind of work 299
  24. Chapter 17. Adapting self for private and public audiences 317
  25. Chapter 18. “I speak French=eh” 335
  26. Part IV. Struggling to define identity boundaries
  27. Chapter 19. The discursive accomplishment of identity during veterinary medical consultations in the UK 355
  28. Chapter 20. Embracing a new professional identity 371
  29. Chapter 21. Identity and space 387
  30. Chapter 22. Household workers’ use of directives to negotiate their professional identity in Lima, Peru 407
  31. Chapter 23. ‘We’re only here to help’ 427
  32. Chapter 24. Epilogue 445
  33. Index 455
https://doi.org/10.1075/dapsac.69.20nka

Kapitel in diesem Buch

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Dedication v
  3. Table of contents vii
  4. Acknowledgements xi
  5. Chapter 1. Introduction 1
  6. Part I. Struggling to construct professional competence
  7. Chapter 2. Coping with uncertainty 21
  8. Chapter 3. Constructing a “competent” meeting chair 39
  9. Chapter 4. Juggling “I”s and “we”s with “he”s and “she”s 57
  10. Chapter 5. Epistemic “Struggles” 79
  11. Chapter 6. Who’s the expert? 95
  12. Part II. Struggling to (de-)construct in-group membership
  13. Chapter 7. You’re a proper tradesman mate 127
  14. Chapter 8. Indian women at work 147
  15. Chapter 9. The dynamics of identity struggle in interdisciplinary meetings in higher education 165
  16. Chapter 10. Laughables as a resource for foregrounding shared knowledge and shared identities in intercultural interactions in Scandinavia 185
  17. Chapter 11. Workplace conflicts as (re)source for analysing identity struggles in stories told in interviews 207
  18. Chapter 12. Identities on a learning curve 225
  19. Part III. Struggling to combine (sometimes competing) expectations
  20. Chapter 13. Managing patients’ expectations in telephone complaints in Scotland 243
  21. Chapter 14. Identity work in nurse-client interactions in selected community hospitals in Kenya 263
  22. Chapter 15. ‘Even if there were procedures, we will be acting at our own discretion…’ 281
  23. Chapter 16. A kind of work 299
  24. Chapter 17. Adapting self for private and public audiences 317
  25. Chapter 18. “I speak French=eh” 335
  26. Part IV. Struggling to define identity boundaries
  27. Chapter 19. The discursive accomplishment of identity during veterinary medical consultations in the UK 355
  28. Chapter 20. Embracing a new professional identity 371
  29. Chapter 21. Identity and space 387
  30. Chapter 22. Household workers’ use of directives to negotiate their professional identity in Lima, Peru 407
  31. Chapter 23. ‘We’re only here to help’ 427
  32. Chapter 24. Epilogue 445
  33. Index 455
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Heruntergeladen am 24.9.2025 von https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1075/dapsac.69.20nka/html
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