Policy Press
2 Narrative, human rights and social justice
Abstract
Up to this point we have been concerned with laying out the fundamentals of narrative as a lens through which to understand social work as an activity. Here we explore the relationship between narrative and social work more directly, first by examining the areas of social work values before moving on to discuss narrative in relation to the Self, ethics and social policy.
As of the time of writing (January 2012) the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) is revising its Code of ethics in social work. Given the similarity of the draft (available via BASW’s website at www.basw.co.uk/) to the ethics in social work Statement of ethical principles of the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) and International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW), it is unlikely that any significant changes or divergences will emerge prior to its adoption.
The ethics of social work (BASW, 2011) is, in all essentials if not in terminology, identical to that of the IFSW (2004) in defining and outlining the essential values of social work. Each of these values – human rights and dignity, social justice and professional integrity – is underpinned by five principles, although I am primarily concerned with the first two of these here (see Table 1). In what follows I will take each of these and discuss aspects of narrative that are particularly relevant in understanding the relationship between social work values and narrative. In so doing I am not suggesting that there is a neat and tidy, one-to-one relationship between each of the underpinning principles and a feature of narrative theory, but that, more broadly speaking, taking into account narrative can help realise the values on which social work is based.
Abstract
Up to this point we have been concerned with laying out the fundamentals of narrative as a lens through which to understand social work as an activity. Here we explore the relationship between narrative and social work more directly, first by examining the areas of social work values before moving on to discuss narrative in relation to the Self, ethics and social policy.
As of the time of writing (January 2012) the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) is revising its Code of ethics in social work. Given the similarity of the draft (available via BASW’s website at www.basw.co.uk/) to the ethics in social work Statement of ethical principles of the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) and International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW), it is unlikely that any significant changes or divergences will emerge prior to its adoption.
The ethics of social work (BASW, 2011) is, in all essentials if not in terminology, identical to that of the IFSW (2004) in defining and outlining the essential values of social work. Each of these values – human rights and dignity, social justice and professional integrity – is underpinned by five principles, although I am primarily concerned with the first two of these here (see Table 1). In what follows I will take each of these and discuss aspects of narrative that are particularly relevant in understanding the relationship between social work values and narrative. In so doing I am not suggesting that there is a neat and tidy, one-to-one relationship between each of the underpinning principles and a feature of narrative theory, but that, more broadly speaking, taking into account narrative can help realise the values on which social work is based.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- About the authors ix
-
Narrative
- Introduction 3
- Introduction to narrative theory 13
-
Narrative and social work
- Narrative, human rights and social justice 31
- The narrative Self and social work 47
- Social work ethics and narrative 59
- Narrative and social policy 73
-
Application
- Plot, characterisation and rhetoric in child protection 85
- The narrative Self in mental health discourse 103
- Meta-narratives of disability 117
- Conclusion 133
- References 139
- Index 159
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- About the authors ix
-
Narrative
- Introduction 3
- Introduction to narrative theory 13
-
Narrative and social work
- Narrative, human rights and social justice 31
- The narrative Self and social work 47
- Social work ethics and narrative 59
- Narrative and social policy 73
-
Application
- Plot, characterisation and rhetoric in child protection 85
- The narrative Self in mental health discourse 103
- Meta-narratives of disability 117
- Conclusion 133
- References 139
- Index 159
