Professional Social Work:

History and Ideology

Course Teacher: Dr. Babasaheb Kazi

1
 Professional Social Work: History
and Ideology: Course Objectives

1.Inducing Students to theoretical

knowledge, skills and attitude on
professional social work.
2.Apprising students on social work as
profession.

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FC 4: ProfessionalSocial Work: History
and Ideology (Course Contents: Unit 1)
•Introduction to Professional Social Work
•Unit 1. Western History of Ideologies for
Social Change: Medieval Period, Judeo-
Christian ideologies, Secular Humanism,
Modern Period (Rationalism, Welfarism,
Liberalism, democracy, Utilitarianism, Social
Darwinism, Socialism, Human rights).

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FC 4: Professional
Social Work: History
and Ideology (Course Contents: Unit 2)
•Unit 2. History of the Social Work Profession:
organised and scientific charity, beginning of social
work education, Clinical social work, Ecological social
work.
•Indian History of Ideologies for Social Change -
Ancient Period (Vedic ideologies, Jainism and
Buddhism), Medieval Period (Zoroastrianism in India,
Islam in India, Mysticism of Bhakti and Sufi
movements, Sikhism), Modern Period (Christianity in
India, Hindu reform movements, Dalit and labour
movements, Gandhian ideology and Sarvodaya
movement, Indian Constitution).
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 FC 4: Professional Social Work: History and
Ideology (Course Contents: Unit 3)

⚫Unit 3. Indian History of the Social Work

Profession (beginning of social work education,
Social Work Profession in India).
⚫ Contemporary context of Neo-liberalism and
Globalization, Post-modernism, Human Rights and
Social Justice (United Nations Human Rights
Instruments, Human Rights Commissions);
⚫ Feminism, Ideologies of sustainable development

and people centered development, Ideologies of action

groups, Ideologies of new social movements,
Limitations of social work
•Multiculturalism, Values and Ethics of Social Work5
Profession.
 Social work: Perceptions
•There is a confusion in the minds of most,
–not excluding professionals,
•as to the differential meanings of the terms
–social work,
–social welfare,
–social services,
–social education, and
–community development.
•In India, anything that involves
–voluntary contribution,
–voluntary service, or even
–public participation
tends to be regarded as social work.
•Every type of work done voluntary is also regarded as social work

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 Definition of Social work
Definition of Social work (The major international social work bodies, the
International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) and the International
Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) agreed on a definition of social work) :
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.

Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility

and respect for diversities are central to social work.

Underpinned by theories of social work, social sciences,

humanities and indigenous knowledge, social work engages
people and structures to address life challenges and enhance
wellbeing. 8
 Definition of Social work (contd.)
•Social work in its various forms addresses
–the multiple, complex, transactions
–between people and their environment.
•Its mission is
–to enable all people to develop their full potential, enrich their
lives, and prevent dysfunction.
–Professional social work is focused on problem solving and
change.
•As such, social workers are change agents in society
and in the lives of the individuals, families and
communities they serve.
•Social work is interrelated system of values, theory
and practice. 9
 Definition of Social work (contd.)
•Social work interventions range from
–primarily person focused psychological process to
–involvement in social policy, planning and development.
•These include
–counseling, clinical social work, group work, social pedagogical
work, and family treatment and therapy, as well as
–efforts to help people obtain services and resources in the
community.
•Interventions also include
–agency administartion, community organization and engaging in
social and political action to impact social policy and economic
development.

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 Definition of Social work (contd.)
The NASW (1973) defines social work as
"The professional activity of
helping individuals, families,groups or communities
enhance or restore their capacity for
social functioning or creating societal conditions
favorable to that goal.

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 Assumptions in Social Work
1.Human suffering is undesirable and should be alleviated
and/or prevented wherever possible
2.Every human being is capable of achieving full human
potential
3.The social environment (social, physical, organizational)
provides the opportunity and resources for the maximum
realization of the potentia;l and aspirations of individual.
4.There are differences among humans and they are
tolerable.
5.Every person has right to protect his/her existence from
dangers caused by man, nature and environment.

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 Assumptions in Social Work
1.Every person has right to protect his/her
existence from dangers caused by man, nature
and environment.
2.There are serious political, economic and social
maladjustments in our society and culture.
3.Every human being has a right to choose
physical necessities (fiid, clothing, shelter, health,
education and security)
4.People want to change and can change.

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 Social work practice/method
Social work practice/method
•Social work method is a responsible,
conscious disciplined use of self in a
relationship with an IGFCO/I.
•Through this relationship the practitioner
facilitates interaction between IGFCO/I &
–its social environment with continuous
awareness of the reciprocal effect of one upon the
other

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Social work practice/method (contd.)

•Social work practice facilitates change

–Within the individual in relation to his environment
–Of the social environment in its effect upon the
individual
–Of both the individual and social environment in
their interaction

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Social work practice/method (contd.)
•Social work method includes systematic
observation and assessment of the IGFCO/I in a
situation and the formulation of an appropriate plan
of action.
•Six steps in Social work practice/method
–Initiate and establishment of contacts
–Assessment, diagnosis & problem identification
–Goal identification, service planning and basis of contract
–Service, treatment and intervention
–The evaluation of outcome
–Feedback and application of result in future practice

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 Methods of Social Work
•Working with individual (Social case work)
•Working with Groups (Social group work)
•Working with Communities (Community
Organisation/work
•Social action
•Social welfare administration
•Social work reaserch

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History of Professional Social Work
History of Professional Social Work
•Charitable or philanthropic work flourished in
industrialized countries in 19th century
•In 1869 first charity organization society in
England.
•In US it started in 1877.
•In US first a national conference of charities and
corrections was initiated.
•In US first settlement house started in 1889.
•Mary Richmond 1898 first school of philanthropic
summer school.
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 History of Social Work in UK-1
•It was the social crisis which occurred in Western Europe and
North America
–in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries which led to the creation of
–social work as an institution and a profession
•The social crisis that tore a vent through many Western
societies in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries is
commonly referred to as the ‘industrial revolution’.
•This 19th century industrial revolution - a great leap in
technological and scientific achievement, -but a great migration
to urban areas throughout the Western world.
•Led to many social problems, which in turn led to an increase
in social activism.
•Rapid industrialisation and urbanisation transformed the lives
of all people, rich and poor alike.

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 History of Social Work in UK-2
•After the end of feudalism, the poor were seen
as a more direct threat to the social order, and
–so the state formed an organized system to care for
them.
•Working-class freedom and social deprivation
spelt danger to the middle-class city dwellers
–who clamoured for something to be done to contain
and control the threat from the ‘dangerous classes’.

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 History of Social Work in UK-3
•A vast array of state social welfare initiatives has their origins in the
19th century.
–Schemes for public sanitation, education, policing, prisons, juvenile correction, public
workhouses and mental asylums accompanied
•legislation governing working conditions and factory inspection as
well as new mechanisms for recording population change.
•At the same time, the 19th century saw the creation and development
of
–a wide spectrum of social work activity financed and run by philanthropic
agencies,
–but working alongside statutory agencies such as courts, hospitals and
workhouses.
•Some of these missionary efforts (urban missions),
attempted
–to resolve the problems inherent in large cities like poverty, prostitution,
disease, and other afflictions

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 History of Social Work in UK-4
•Workers worked in hospitals, providing support to patients and their
families during and after a stay in hospital, and
–bringing a ‘social’ perspective to medical problems.
•Caseworkers from the Charity Organisation Society (COS) and other
relief agencies carried out detailed assessments
–to decide who should be entitled to receive financial and other material help.
•In England, the Poor Law served this purpose,
–which sorted the poor into different categories, such as the able bodied poor,
the impotent poor, and the idle poor.
•The COS also attempted to channel local charitable donations and
–co-ordinate the activities of other charitable agencies.
•Visitors on behalf of churches of all denominations and
other secular visiting organisations
–provided practical support and visiting to the sick and needy
–in prisons, asylums and hospitals, poorhouses and workhouses and in their
own homes.
•Some of the visitors went on to become committee
members managing the institutions which they visited.
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 History of Social Work in UK-5
•In the late 1880s, a new system to provide aid
for social ills came in to being, which became
known as the settlement movement.
•The settlement movement focused on the
–causes of poverty through the "three Rs" -
Research, Reform, and Residence.
–They provided a variety of services including
educational, legal, and health services.
–These programs also advocated changes in social
policy.

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 History of Social Work in USA-1
I THE CHARITY ORGANIZATION SOCIETIES:
•The state charities and institutions expanded,
•The first American charity organization society was established in Buffalo,
New York in 1877.
•Their basic approach quickly expanded beyond management and
organization.
Features
•First, the charity organization movement broke from
–earlier traditions by avoiding the dispensation of direct relief.
•Second, most of the movement's members sought to inject
–order into the chaotic and often redundant mix of services
•A third important cornerstone of the charity organization movement and an
important innovation was
–the introduction of a treatment/intervention component.
Friendly visitors were among the nation's first social workers and made
important contributions to the development of professional social work.
•The rules of friendly visiting as promulgated through the charity
organization societies, further promoted secularism in charity work. Friendly
visitors helped
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 History of Social Work in USA-2

EARLY CASEWORK :
•Significance was placed on the visitors' investigations with a greater
emphasis on objectivity.
•As visitors became more systematic and professional, a consensus
spread that visitors needed training.
•The increased demand for more refined techniques required training
and suggested the beginnings of a profession.
•The volunteer visitors of the 1880s became, in the 1890s, social
workers.
•They attended training programs to upgrade their skills and returned to
their agencies to take leadership positions for a salary.
•By the beginning of the 20th century, the volunteer friendly visitor of
the early charity organizations had evolved into what we now identify as
social casework.

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 History of Social Work in USA-3.
SETTLEMENTS (1880-1900)
II. SETTLEMENTS ((1880-1900
•The settlement movement was a new approach to the problems of the city and its
poor, and
–it focused mostly on new immigrants.
•Settlements focused more on the causes of poverty than the flaws of the poor.
–They sought to reform aspects of American society that they identified as
problematic.
–Instead of focusing their efforts on changing the individual behaviours and values of
the poor,
–settlement workers tried to change the neighbourhoods.
•Like the charity organization societies, The settlement houses were directly tied to a
similar movement in England.
•The first settlement house, Toynbee Hall, was established in 1884.
–It was located in the slums of London.
–Founded by Samuel Barnett and John Ruskin, Toynbee Hall was established
–to help bridge the gap between London's rich and poor.
–Soon settlements were spread throughout urban America.
–By the mid 1890s there were fifty and by 1900 there were more than a hundred
recognized settlements. 40
 History of Social Work in USA-4
II. SETTLEMENTS ((1880-1900))
THE THREE Rs:
•The early settlement workers attempted to apply scientific thinking through
–the three Rs of settlement work: Research, Reform and Residence.
•Research: Instead of investigating the poor,
–settlement workers researched the problems of the poor through scientific surveys.
–The studies typically documented the systemic nature of the problem.
–Surveys were usually sophisticated indictments of the economic, political and social systems
prevalent within the inner cities.
•Reform: Instead of treating the poor individually,
–settlement workers concentrated on changing the general situations they uncovered in their
surveys.
–Public education, juvenile courts, public playgrounds, citizenship, day care, and cultural
awareness programs are just a few examples of the reform activities adopted by settlement
workers.
•Residence: Settlement workers saw themselves as neighbours.
–Their ideals were fraternal rather than paternal.
–After residents established their presence in the neighbourhood they set about creating basic
services
–such as kindergartens, playgrounds and nurseries.
–As reform issues emerged from their work in the community, settlement workers would then
take on broader issues such as citizenship classes, trade unions and garbage collection.
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 History of Social Work in India-1
The Ancient period
History of Social Work in India-1
The Ancient period
The Ancient period (upto 700 a.d.) earmarked by
–Agro-society, Indus-valley civilisation, Aryan invasion & cast system
•Promotion of Dharma/Kartavya
–Through Vedic dharma during ancient period
•Promotion of equality, non-violence and `Madhyam
marg’, (Development of Brahmanism)
–Jainism and Buddhism (noble truths: sorrow, cause, possibility of
removal , and the way of removal
•Secularism
–Spirituality (search vs. faith, knowledge vs. belief, meditation vs. worship,
freedom vs. heaven,

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 History of Social Work in India-2
Medieval Period
Medieval Period (8-16th Century):
Trade with Arabs ; Turk and Mughal Rule)

•Plurality of religions, Reduction in idol worship

(nirgun) (Revival of Brahmanism)
–Zoroastrianism and Islam
•Promotion of Communal Harmony; Universal
access to religion.
–Bhakti and Sufi Movemnts, Sikhism

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 History of Social Work in India-3
Modern Period
Modern Period (17 Century onwards):
Trade with Europeans, British Rule, Freedom movement, Independence

• Introduction to modern ideology, strengthening of Hinduism,

promotion of philanthropy.
–India and Christianity, Social reform movements

•Promotion of mass social consciousness

–Dalit and labour movements
• Promotion of holistic approach to social change
–Gandhian thoughts and Sarvodaya

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 Values of Gandhism
There is no Gandhism- MK Gandhi
•Values
Non-violence in thought and deed :
Non- possession
Dignity of physical labour
Non-greed: least wants, no comforts and no luxuries
Restraint on sex and other greed
Simple living.
No stealing
Fearlessness
Unto the last (from John Ruskin), Championing Underdogs
Self-reliance
Cooperation vs. Competition (Prince Kropotkin)
Change of heart & attitude of universal love (Tolstoy)
Purity of Means
 Principles of Gandhism
Trusteeship : People with social, monetary, physical &
intellectual advantages are trustees
• Moral link between strong and weak to avoid conflict

• Only morally disciplined force can successfully confront

tyranny
• Hind-swarajya: Self reliant villages with revival of village

tyranny
• Ashrams to train volunteers for social services.

• people instead of Vice versa.

• Decentralisation

• Used CW, GW, CO, SA

 PREAMBLE
WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India
into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
and to secure to all its citizens:
JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY, of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;
and to promote among them all
FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and
integrity of the Nation;
IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of
November, 1949, DO HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO
OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.
(NOTE: the original 1950 constitution stated "SOVEREIGN
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC" and the words "SOCIALIST SECULAR"
were added via the 42nd amendment during the Emergency in 1976)
 DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES OF STATE POLICY-1

⚫ The Directive Principles of State Policy, embodied in

Part IV of the Constitution,
⚫Are Directions to the State to guide the establishment

of an economic and social democracy,

⚫as proposed by the Preamble.

⚫Set forth the humanitarian nature and socialist

instructions
⚫that were the aim of social revolution envisaged in India

by the Constituent Assembly.

⚫The State expected to keep these principles in mind
while framing laws and policies,
⚫Even though they are non-justiciable in nature.
 DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES OF STATE POLICY-2
➔ Non-justiciable, but act as a check on the State;
➔ Theorized as a yardstick in the hands of electorate and the opposition
➔ to measure the performance of a government at the time of an
election.
➔ Article 37, Not enforceable in any court of law, but
➔ "fundamental to the governance of the country" and
➔imposes an obligation on the State to apply them in matters of
legislation.
➔ Serve to
➔ emphasise the welfare state model of the Constitution and
➔emphasise the positive duty of the State to promote the welfare of the
people
➔ by affirming social, economic and political justice,
➔to fight income inequality and ensure individual dignity, as mandated
by
 DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES OF STATE POLICY-3
38. State to secure social order for the promotion of
the welfare of the people.
39. Certain principles and policies to be followed by
state like 'adequate means of livelihoods to people.
39A. Equal justice and free legal aid.
40. Organisation of village panchayats.
41. Right to work, to education and to public
assistance in certain cases.
42. Provision for just and humane conditions to work
and maternity relief,
43. Decent standard of living for all workers.
43A. Directs to provide participation of workers in the
 DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES OF
STATE POLICY-4
44. Uniform Civil Code for all the citizens
45. Free and compulsory education for its
children
46. Promotion of educational and economic
interests of schedules castes ans
scheduled tribe.
47. Duty of the state to raise the level of
nutrition.
 DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES OF
STATE POLICY-5
48. Organisation of agriculture and animal
husbundary
48A. Protection and improvement of
environment
49. Protection of monuments, places and
objects of national importance.
50. Sepration of Judiciary from Executive
51. Promotion of internatonal peace and
security
 Social Work Profession
➔ Professionalisation of social work to deal with social problems,
➔ is an outcome of the modern ideologies in 20th century
➔Profession means a public pronouncement or assertion of a belief or a
promise.
➔The promise is to attend in the most responsible, that is, the most
knowledgeable way, the attainment of certain goals.
➔ Following 3 values are fused into the concept of a profession
➔ The value placed upon systematic knowledge and the intellect – knowing
➔ The value placed on the technical skill and training capacity – doing
➔The value placed upon putting this conjoint knowledge and skill to work in
the service of others – helping
➔Different approaches have dominated professional social work at different
points of time in different places, such as charity, welfare, clinical,
ecological, radical/progressive etc.
 History of Professional Social Work in India-1

•Focus on individual, families and

communities
•Goals: Freedom and duties
•Critical significance to Scientific wisdom
•Vehicle- Theory, models and techniques &
people’s literature
•Voluntary and professional social works
complementing each other.

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 History of Professional Social Work in India-2

•Servants of India Society by G. K. Gokhale (1905)-

1st social work training organization
–No religious base, rational and scientific approach to social
problems
–Insistence on scholarly study of problems
•Social Service League, Bombay. (1924)
–Training voluntary cadre for social work
•On job- peer training.
•Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work (1936),
Dorabji Tata Ttust & Clifford Manshardt
–an American missionary experienced in Chicago settlement
house, started one in Bombay: Nagpada neighborhood house
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 History of Professional Social Work in India-3
Important Publications
–Indian Journal of Social Work (1940)
–First book on Social work: Students and social work
(1949)
–International Social work, a journal in Bombay
(1958)
–Lucknow university Journal of Social Work
(Contemporary Social Work) (1962)
–Encyclopedia of Social Work in India (1068)
–Social work Forum (by Indian Association of Trained
Social Workers- 1963-1981
–National Journal of Professional social work (by
Indian Society of Professional Social work, 2000)
56
 History of Professional Social Work in India-4
Professional associations in India
•Indian Council of Social Work (ICSW)
–Association of social welfare voluntary organization
•Association of Schools of Social Work in India
(ASSWI)

•Indian Association of Trained Social Workers

•Indian Society of Professional Social Work
•Bombay Association of Trained Social Workers
–Associations of Social Work Practitioners
Besides units of international Associations
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 Aspects of social work education
•Social Work Education: Distribution Institutions(1980)
–South India: 43, North and Central India: 16, Western India: 60 ( 54 in Mah.)
East India: 6
•Social Work Education: Distribution Institutions(1980)
–Bachelor's: 53, Master’s: 102, M. Phil: 20, Ph. D: 34
•School specific specialisation
•Generic studies
•Orientation of doctoral programmes
•Role in formulation of social policy
•Role in bringing social change

•As an adaptation of educational programme in the USA with

additions from British model
•Varying standards of education
• Inadequate functioning of professional organisation 58
 Philosophy and Ideology
Philosophy
Philosophy is an academic discipline that seeks to understand the mysteries
of existence and reality. Tries to discover the nature of truth and knowledge
and what is of basic value and importance in life. It also examines the
relationship between humanity and nature and between the individual and
society. It is a form of interpretation and speculation. It is divided into five
branches – metaphysics, epistemology, logic, ethics and aesthetics.

Ideology
Ideology is a form of social or political philosophy in which practical elements
are as prominent as theoretical ones. It is a system of ideas that aspires, oth
to explain the world and to change it. According to Gore, an ideology is a
relatively comprehensive system of ideas, which gives legitimacy to an
existing or proposed system of relationships and correspondingly supports an
action programme to sustain or subvert the prevailing system.

59
 Western History of Ideologies-1
Rationalism,
◆Philosophic outlook arose in the 1600s

◆Ushered in the Age of reason or Enlightenment for humankind as opposed

to them being perceived as superstitious and ignorant during the ‘Dark Ages’
◆Gradual shift from religious sensibilities to scientific objectivity

◆Reasoning replaced religion as the source of knowledge – validity of the

sense perceptions must be proved from more certain principles.

◆17
th century philosophers in Europe emphasized the division between mind

and matter – philosophers focused on the mind and left the inquiry of matter
to science.
◆Values were separated from facts – believe that scientific facts are

independent of what we do and are, therefore independent of our values

◆Science by 19
th century – firmly embedded as the exemplar for discovering

truth – truth (often described as reality) equated only with the observable and
measurable.
◆Scientific humanism rejects every method of inquiry other than scientific

60
 Western History of Ideologies-2
Welfarism,
⚫The set of policies, practices, and social attitudes

associated with a welfare state.

⚫Welfarism is the view that morality is centrally

concerned with the welfare or

⚫well-being of individuals. The division between

welfarist and non-welfarist

⚫approaches underlies many important

disagreements in ethics, but welfarism is

⚫not consistently defined.
61
 Western History of Ideologies-3
Liberalism,
◼ liberalism is a political philosophy and ideology in which
◼ primary emphasis is placed on securing the freedom of the individual by
◼ limiting the power of the government.
◼ The philosophy emerged as a response to
◼the Industrial Revolution and urbanization in the 19th century in Europe and
the United States.
◼It advocates Civil liberties with a limited government under the
rule of law, and
◼ belief in laissez-faire economic policy.
◼ Liberalism sought to limit the range of political authority –
◼ tried to develop a system of fundamental right for freedom
◼ not subject to invasion by then state. 62
 Western History of Ideologies-4
Democracy,
➔ Democracy or the concept of people’s rule emerged to de-
legitimize feudalism and limit the king’s power
➔In England revolution of 1688 established the supremacy of

parliament – final authority in political matters belonged to the

people and government
➔The French Revolution – against the feudal system –

➔slogan Liberty Fraternity and Equality ‘ resulted in the

➔ ‘Declaration of the rights of Man and of the Citizen in 1789 –

still long struggle for democracy

➔Revolutions laid the foundation of ‘ Modern Nation States –

liberal ideology – facilitated the industrial revolution – huge

increase in production – raw materials from colonies –
colonization
63
 Western History of Ideologies-5
Utilitarianism,
➢ Visible core of 19th century liberalism.
➢ The principle of utility –

➢ the notion that every possible action of a human being is either

a take or not depending upon whether it is seen as resulting in

either pleasure or pain.
➢ pursuing one’s own pleasure and avoiding pain.

➢ each person would maximize happiness for everyone –

➢ Assumption that society was simply a collection of separate

individuals operating in their individual self –

➢ Interests and government action or interference constituted a

disservice to these individuals and should be rejected on

scientific grounds.

64
 Western History of Ideologies-6
Social Darwinism
◼Attempted to apply Darwins theory of natural selection and the struggle for
existence to the evolution of human society.
◼Progress became the key idea in the 19th century theories of social evolution –
evolutionism was the common core
◼Ideologies of utilitarianism and Social Darwinism justified cross country
exploitation i.e colonization
◼SD implied that successful business people were responsible for their own

status and
◼that unsuccessful were getting what they deserved.
◼Siding with the unfit amounted to thwarting the will of the God or nature.

◼It was also considered immoral to help the unfit at the expense of the fit.

◼ Divided people into hierarchical dichotomies :

◼worthy & not worthy, deserving and non-deserving, haves and haves-not, primitive
and the civilized, backward and the advanced, superstitious and the scientific.
◼Some of these justified colonization.

◼After colonies became independent they were classified as underdeveloped vis a vis

developed (ex colonizers)

65
 Western History of Ideologies-7
Socialism,
➢ Marxism asserted that
➢ basic unity of theory and practice –

➢ function of the former was to serve the latter –

➢ Theory was always, in fact expressive of class interests,

➢ consequently philosophy should be transferred into a tool for furthering the

class struggle
➢ Formation of Trade/Labour Unions -

➢ National and International Federation of Unions –

➢ political ideal was the abolition of private property in land and machinery and

➢ its replacement by communal ownership and

➢ control of all the factors of production and distribution

66
 Contemporary Ideologies-1
Neo-liberalism
➔ Theory of political and economic practices that
➔proposes that human well being can best be advanced by

➔liberating individual entrepreneurial freedoms and skills

➔within an institutional framework

➔characterized by strong private property rights, free markets and free trade.

➔Role of State is

➔to create and preserve an institutional framework appropriate to the above

practices –
➔set up military, defense, police and legal structures and functions

➔required to secure private property rights and

➔to guarantee, by force if need be, proper functioning of markets (thrust on

financial markets)
➔Create new markets in areas such as

➔land, water, education, health care, social security, environmental pollution,

etc – by state action if necessary.

67
 Contemporary Ideologies-2
Globalisation: Outcome of Neoliberalism –
Components of globalization
➢ World’s money, technology and markets are controlled and managed by

gigantic global corporations

➢ Common consumer culture unifies all people in a shared quest for material

gratification
➢ Corporations are free to act solely on the basis of profitability, without regard

to national or local consequences

➢ Relations, both, individual and corporate are defined by the market

➢ No loyalties to place and community

68
 Contemporary Ideologies-3
Globalisation: Outcome of Neo-liberalism
(continued)
⚫In 1970’s GLB gained predominance after the economic crisis in the 1970’s

⚫Deregulation, privatization and withdrawal of the state from many areas of

social provision
⚫Income inequalities grown tremendously –

⚫marginalizes more and more sections of people as well

⚫threatens bio-diversity and food security

⚫Furthers uninterrupted flow of resources from the Third World –

⚫aggravates the present unjust international economic order – ‘Accumulation

by Dispossession’
⚫Capital has no national boundary but labour has –

⚫Economic growth based thriving financial markets –

⚫index of economic growth (and not social)

⚫Neo-liberal Freedoms have restored power to a narrowly defined capitalist

class
⚫Produced immense concentrations of corporate power in energy, the media,

pharmaceuticals, transportation, retailing 69

 Contemporary Ideologies -4
⚫ Post- modernism focuses on viewing people
as integrated whole, community-based
consciousness, confidence in emotion,
relativism, synthesis, non-linear, multi-naratives
and plurality
–Promotion of conservation, cooperation, and
partnership
•Multi-culturism: Opposition to cultural
imperialism, homogenization
–Promotion of egalitarian multi-culturism

70
 Contemporary Ideologies -5
Feminism
⚫Emerged during the 19th century – liberal Feminism.
Later different schools in the Feminist ideology
emerged
⚫Differentiate between sex as a biological division

between men and women and gender as the socially

unequal division into femininity and masculinity
⚫Gender system subordinates women in patriarchal

relations that exist over and above class relations

since male dominance over women’s productive and
reproductive roles predates the emergence of
capitalism
71
 Contemporary Ideologies -6
FEMINISM (contd.)
Different schools of Feminist discourse
Liberal Feminism – oldest school. Emphasized the
similarities of women with men and demanded legal
reforms and equal opportunities for suffrage (voting),
education and employment. Significant achievement in
many areas. Did not analyze the roots of gender
oppression in society
Marxist Feminists – view women’s oppression as the
outgrowth of the capitalist mode of production, which
resulted in the spatial divide between domestic work
and wage work and labeled them as non – productive
and productive respectively
 Contemporary Ideologies -7
FEMINISM (contd.)
Different schools of Feminist discourse
Radical Feminists – identified the concerns for
patriarchal control over women’s sexuality and
reproduction. Issues of work and labour are
seen as secondary – conceptualized patriarchy
as a system of gender oppression
Socialist Feminist – attempt to synthesize
Marxist thought with that of radical feminism
using the comprehensive tool of patriarchy as
the system that controls women’s labour,
sexuality and reproduction
 Contemporary Ideologies -8
Human Rights
Evolution to emerging middle class quest for political and
civil liberties within European civilizations since the 17th
century
In 18th century concept of natural rights as political rights
emerged strongly – this demand was against despotism,
arbitrariness and the political disenfranchisement of those
who held different opinions
After the 2nd World War – United Nations was set up in 1945
with the aim of preventing future wars – Development of
human rights instruments and promoting their
implementation, round the world, is one of the activities
undertaken towards this aim
 Contemporary Ideologies -9
Human Rights (contd.)
UN Report 1992 explains that the denial of human rights and
fundamental freedoms is not only an individual and
personal tragedy, but also creates conditions of social and
political unrest, sowing the seeds of violence and conflict
within and between societies and nations
According to UN – Human rights and fundamental freedoms
allow us to fully develop and use our human qualities, our
intelligence, our talents and fulfill our spiritual and other
needs. Basic and fundamental for ‘Life with Dignity’ –
Human Rights universally applicable
Human Rights comprises of values of human dignity drawn
from secular humanism; freedom drawn from liberalism;
participation drawn from democracy; equality drawn from
socialism
 Contemporary Ideologies -10
Human Rights (contd.)
Initial concern for civil and political rights – later followed by
demand for economic social and cultural rights – in 1990’s a
third generation of rights – universal aspiration for peace,
development and a clean environment protected from
destruction
Human Rights Declaration – are a formal and solemn human rights
instruments enunciating general principles and broad
obligations. It is not a binding instrument and does not specific
obligations on member states – Universal Declaration of Human
rights of 1948 with 30 articles – lays down the basic rights which
every human being should be able to enjoy.
Ideology of Human Rights tends to be individualistic – based on
liberal humanism – takes priority over the community.
Human rights ignore the social stratification and dynamics of
marginalization between groups due to which these rights are denied to
a large number of people.
 Contemporary Ideologies -11
Human Rights (contd.)
UN Report 1992 explains that the denial of human rights and
fundamental freedoms is not only an individual and
personal tragedy, but also creates conditions of social and
political unrest, sowing the seeds of violence and conflict
within and between societies and nations
According to UN – Human rights and fundamental freedoms
allow us to fully develop and use our human qualities, our
intelligence, our talents and fulfill our spiritual and other
needs. Basic and fundamental for ‘Life with Dignity’ –
Human Rights universally applicable
Human Rights comprises of values of human dignity drawn
from secular humanism; freedom drawn from liberalism;
participation drawn from democracy; equality drawn from
socialism
 Contemporary Ideologies-12
Humanitarianism-1
•an informal ideology of practice;
•the doctrine that people's duty is to promote human
welfare.
•based on a view that all human beings deserve
respect and dignity and should be treated as such.
•Humanitarians work towards advancing the well-
being of humanity as a whole.
•It is the antithesis of the "us vs. them" mentality that
characterizes tribalism and ethnic nationalism.

78
 Contemporary Ideologies -13
Humanitarianism-2
•Humanitarians abhor slavery, violation of basic and
human rights, and discrimination on the basis of
features such as colour of skin, religion, ancestry,
place of birth, etc.
•Humanitarianism drives people to save lives,
alleviate suffering and promote human dignity in the
middle of man-made or natural disasters.
•Humanitarianism is embraced by movements and
people across the political spectrum.
•Albert Schweitzer: "Humanitarianism consists in
never sacrificing a human being to a purpose.".
79
 Contemporary Ideologies -14
Humanitarianism-3
•Humanitarianism is a universal doctrine
•“Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do
ye even so to them.”
•This fundamental precept can be found, in almost
identical form, in all the great religions, Brahminism,
Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Islam, Judaism,
Sikhism and Taoism.
•It is also the golden rule of the positivists, who do not
commit themselves to any religion but only to the data
of experience, in the name of reason alone. .".
80
 Ideologies of Sustainable Development and
People Centered Development
⚫Sustainable Development (SD) derives its principles from the planets
ecosystems – maximize sustainability through interdependence, recycling
partnership, flexibility and diversity
⚫SD is a process in which economic, fiscal, trade energy, agricultural industrial
and all other policies are designed to bring about development that is
economically socially and ecologically sustainable.
⚫Natural resources must be used in ways that do not create ecological debts by
overexploiting the earth’s carrying and productive capacity – All postponed
debts – whether economic social or ecological mortgage sustainability
⚫People – centered development accepts that people are knowledgeable about
the situation and how to manage them given the necessary resources.
Appreciates that local solutions must be congruent with local resource realities
at the time both geographical and human.
 Ideologies of Action Groups

➔Response to the centralized development models being followed in third

world countries and Latin America
➔Many action groups influenced by Paulo Freire – pedagogy of the oppressed
for initiating the struggle for liberation and against dehumanization
➔ Different type of Action Groups formed in 1960’s and 1970’s
➔Educated middle class youth who were dissatisfied with the model of
development adopted by the state and politics of the left parties
➔Functionaries of NGOs involved in community development projects which
did little to alleviate poverty
➔ Younger followers of the Sarvodaya Movement
➔Ex naxalites who were disillusioned with the fragmentation of the naxalite
movement
➔ Indian Christians influenced by liberation theology
➔New left academics influenced by western Marxist thought who mainly formed
documentation and research centers and provided advice and training to the
action groups
 Ideologies of New Social Movements

◆Number of action groups their widespread

character and the interlinkages that have
developed among them given rise tom the new
social movements (NSMs)
◆NSMs are defined as movements that are

against forms of exploitation, not recognized

by the traditional class analysis. A
critique/revaluation or an engagement with the
socialist perspective is seen as necessary to
characterize a social movement as ‘new’
◆NSM’s focus on ‘community’ rather than ‘class’
Key Foci
Keyand Implications
Foci and Implications ofof Contemporary
Contemporary Ideologies
Ideologies
Contemporary Key Foci Implications
Ideologies
Neo Liberalism Minimum government Creation of secular
interference and market hierarchies. Elimination
as the sole social of livelihood. Wiping out
regulator, rule of global of cultural and biological
corporations, diversity
independent of the
people
Postmodernism Viewing people as Promotion of
integrated wholes, conservation,
community based cooperation and
consciousness, partnership.
confidence in emotion, Deconstruction of
relativism, synthesis, professional power
non linear,
multinarratives and
plurality
Feminism Recognition of male Challenge to all
domination and dichotomies that create
subordination of hierarchies
women's labour,
sexuality and
 Key Foci and Implications of Contemporary Ideologies
Contemporary Key Foci Implications
Ideologies

Resurgence of civil Resurgence of Promotion of local self-

society autonomy of governance and direct
communities and democracy
collectives of peoples
Key Foci and Implications of Contemporary Ideologies
Contemporary Key Foci Implications
Ideologies
Ideologies of The trade union Cannot respond to the needs of
Labour movement has had an the large and increasing
movement economic orientation unorganised work force
Ideologies of Focus on community Democratic repoliticisation of the
new social rather than class identity masses, focus on alternative
movements politics with reference to development
race and gender, critique
of development from the
economic and ecological
perspectives
Ideologies of Expose the authoritarian Help in connecting various
human rights acts of the state and movements
movements powerful social forces
Ideologies of Intermediation between Major role in welfare and
NGOs donors and the poor. development compared to the
Empowerment of the state, homogenisation of
poor. Development voluntary sector, donor -
consultants sensitivity and accountability
more important than people
sensitivity and accountability
 Limitations of Social Work
•Reduction to technocracy
–SW practice has got reduced to methods of case work, group
work and community organization
•Fragmentation:
–SW practice, research and education are not synthetically
interrelated
•Eliticism:
–Professionalisation ahs led to eliticism and ideology is left
behind.
•Depoliticiation:
–Depolticised social work neglets politicise social action.
•Weak interface with social movements and
campaigns.

87
 Social Work Ethics-1
Social work ethics and values
⚫The code lists the following broad ethical principles based on
social work core values:
⚫Value: Service
⚫Ethical Principle: Social worker’s primary goal is to

help people in need and to address social problems

⚫Value: Social Justice

⚫Ethical Principle: Social workers challenge social

injustice
⚫Value: Dignity and Worth of the Person

⚫Ethical Principle: Social workers respect the inherent

dignity and worth of the person

88
 Social Work Ethics-2
Social work ethics and values
⚫Value: Importance of human Relationships
⚫Ethical Principle: Social workers recognize the

central importance of human relationships

⚫Value: Integrity

⚫Ethical Principle: Social workers behave in a

trustworthy manner
⚫Value: Competence

⚫Ethical Principle: Social Workers practice within their

areas of competence and develop and enhance their

professional expertise.

89
 Social Work Ethics-3
NASW Code of Ethics
• Principle: Social workers’ primary goal is to help
people in need and to address social problems.
• Principle: Social workers challenge social injustice.
• Principle: Social workers recognize the central
importance of human relationships.
• Principle: Social workers behave in a trustworthy
manner.
• Principle: Social workers practice within their areas of
competence and develop and enhance their
professional expertise.
 Social Work Ethics-4
Ethical Standards
1. Social Workers’ Ethical
Responsibilities to Clients
a. Commitment to clients; b. Self-Determination
c. Informed Consent; d. Competence
e. Cultural Competence and Social Diversity; f. Conflicts of Interest
g. Privacy and confidentiality; h. Access to records
i. Physical Contact; j. Sexual Harassment
k. Derogatory Language; l. Payment for
services
m. Clients who lack decision-making capacity;
n. Interruption of Services; o. Termination of Services
 Social Work Ethics-5
Ethical Standards
2. Social Workers’ Ethical
Responsibilities to Colleagues
a. Respect; b. Confidentiality
c. Interdisciplinary Collaboration
d. Disputes Involving Colleagues
e. Consultation; f. Referral for services
g. Sexual relationships; h. Sexual harassment
i. Impairment of colleagues; j. Incompetence of
Colleagues; k. Unethical conduct of colleagues
 Social Work Ethics-6
Ethical Standards
3. Social Workers’ Ethical
Responsibilities in Practice Settings
a. Supervision and consultation; b. Education and
training
c. Performance Evaluation; d. Client records
e. Billing; f. Client transfer
g. Administration; h. Continuing
Education and Staff development
i. Commitments to Employers; j. Labor management
disputes
 Social Work Ethics-7
Ethical Standards
4. Social Workers’ Ethical
Responsibilities as Professionals
a. Competence
b. Discrimination
c. Private conduct
d. Dishonesty, fraud, and deception
e. Impairment
f. Misrepresentation
g. Solicitations
h. Acknowledging credit
 Social Work Ethics-8
Ethical Standards
5. Social Workers Ethical
Responsibilities to the Social Work
Profession
a. Integrity
b. Evaluation and Research
6. Social Welfare
a. Public Participation
b. Public Emergencies
c. Social and Political Action