Critical Introduction to Social Work 2020-2021

THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF APPIED SOCIAL SCIENCES
Master of Social Work
APSS 5792 Critical Introduction to Social Work
Course Outline
st
(1 Semester 2020-2021)

Lecturer : Dr. Leung Chi Yuen

Email: sscyl@polyu.edu.hk HJ 426 (3400-3679) Pigeon Hole: 38
Class Time : Wed 1930-2130 (except special sessions)

Aims and Objective:

This course aims to help students to understand social work as a critical helping profession in the
modern society. Upon completion of the course, students should be able to:
(a) demonstrate a systematic understanding of the nature of social work as an empowering profession
(i.e., its purposes, methods, philosophical base, value and ethical base)
(b) recognize the basic structures and regulations of social work profession in the local and global
contexts
(c) apply a generic framework to interpret diverse social work practices with individuals, families,
groups and communities.
(d) critically evaluate different social work traditions, welfare ideology and service provisions

Syllabus and Lesson Plan:

Content Date Speaker/Participants
(1) Overview of the basics arena of social work: a critical practice Sep 9 Dr. CY Leung
and a reflective journey (Wed)
(2) Social work as a profession with history Sep 16 Dr. CY Leung
- The tradition of social work (Wed)
- The historical roots and present development across countries
(3) The values, ethics, and philosophy of social work Sep 23 Dr. CY Leung
- Philosophical roots of social work (Wed)
- Value principles and code of ethics in social work practice
- Ethical dilemma and empowerment principles
(4) The elements of social work practice Sep 30 Dr. CY Leung
-Theories, Purposes, Needs, Social functioning and roles (Wed)
- Relationship building and relationship issues
(5) Social welfare & social services: ideology, debates and Oct 7 Dr. CY Leung

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Critical Introduction to Social Work 2020-2021

provision (Wed)

(6) The Generalist and Generic Process Model Oct 14 Dr. CY Leung
(Wed)
(7) The P-I-E as an overarching framework Oct 21 Dr. CY Leung
(Wed)
(8) Social work dilemmas: Critical Debates * Oct 28 Whole Class
(Wed)
(9) Guest Lecture: learning from the “field” * Nov 4 Guest Speakers
(Wed)
(10) Current issues in the field Nov 11 Dr. CY Leung
(Wed)
(11) Agency Visit Report back I * Nov 18 Whole Class
(Wed)
(12) Agency Visit Report back II * Nov 25 Whole Class
(Wed)
(13) Revisit: Final Conclusion and Future development Dec 2 Dr. CY Leung
(Wed)
*These classes will be started earlier at 1900 and ended 2200

Assignments and Assessment:

Participation and Reflective Commentary (Individual) 20%
Students are expected to join and participate in class discussion actively. Students are required to
write one personal reflective commentary on any one assigned or self-chosen reading responding the
thematic discussions about social work in class for around 800 words in English or Chinese. The
summary of content should be very brief while focus more on personal reflection and your critical
views. The student should submit the commentary on blackboard at the end of Oct. (Find one article
you value most, triggers you emotionally and write comments and views on it)
Agency Study Report (Group) 30%
Student as a group should select a social welfare agency for visit and then make a presentation on one
of the Report Back sessions. The focus should be on the profile and the criteria of being a ‘good’
social worker with the self-narrative of a selected social worker, his/her client’s perspective on
worker’s performance and his/her agency evaluation responding the thematic discussions in classes.
The sub-group should submit a PPT first as a presentation tool then as a response to the Q & A plus
individual learning summary for each group member. (Theme: What are the qualities of being a good
Social Worker? Elements and difficulties of being a good Social Worker. 20mins presentation.)
Term paper (Individual) 50%

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Critical Introduction to Social Work 2020-2021

Students are required to write a paper responding chosen contentious issue related to social work
around 2500 words on either one among a list of suggested topics or developing one by his/her own
with the approval from the instructor. The student should submit the assignments on blackboard
within the deadline before 2359 Dec 16 2020. (With academic perspective)

# A voluntary on site community visit will be arranged in the semester if the pandemic situation is
contained. Students will be taken to visit less advantaged people with briefing before and debriefing
afterwards. Details will be announced later.

Remarks:
Students will be required to submit their designated assignments to Turnitin for a review of textual
similarity and detection of possible plagiarism. In doing so, students will allow their assignments to
be included as source documents in the Turnitin reference database, where they will be used solely for
the purpose of detecting plagiarism. Students are required to submit the Summative Report (i.e. the
last page of the Originality Report with the similarity percentage and identification details only). If
necessary, you will be asked to submit a soft copy of the full originality report by the instructor.

Turnitin
• The purpose of Turnitin software is to assist students in checking written work and to prevent
improper use of citations and resource content. The software service allows a written work to be
checked against internet content, several databases, and previously submitted work.

Submit Assignments
• Students are responsible for submitting their designated assignments through Turnitin prior to
submission due date.
• For group project, please appoint a team leader to submit the project on behalf of all the team
members.
• It is your responsibility to ensure that you submit your assignment to Turnitin sufficiently in
advance of the deadline to avoid any potential problems with computers. Having the internet
disconnected or your computer crash as you attempt to submit your assignment just before the
deadline does NOT constitute a valid excuse.
• Please staple a copy of the Summative Report (i.e. the last page of the originality report) to your
hard copy submission.
Consequences of Academic Dishonesty
• If you do not turn in your assignment to Turnitin you will receive a ZERO for the assignment.
If you plagiarize--as identified by Turnitin software--without direct quotation marks and proper
citation should expect receiving a ZERO for the assignment. In addition, the situation may be reported
for consideration of further action.
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Critical Introduction to Social Work 2020-2021

References:
Books

Adams, R., Dominelli, L., & Payne, M. (2009). Social work: Themes, issues and critical
debates (3rd ed.). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Beckett, C., & Maynard, A. (2005). Values and ethics in social work: introduction. London:
Sage.
DuBois, B. and Miley, K. K. (2014). Social Work: An Empowering Profession (8th ed.).
Boston: Pearson. 
Ferguson, I. (2008). Reclaiming Social Work: Challenging Neo-liberalism and Promoting
Social Justice. India: Sage Publications (with Chinese version)
Fook, J. (2012). Social Work: Critical Theory and Practice. London: Sage Publications

Glicken, M.D. (2010) Social Work in the 21st century: an introduction to Social Welfare,
Social issues, and the Profession (2nd), NY: Sage Publications

Hepworth, D.H., Rooney, R., Rooney, G.D., Strom-Gottfried, K. & Larsen, J.A. (2017).
Direct Social Work Practice: Theory & Skills (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson
Brooks/Cole.

Howe,D. (2014). The Compleat Social Worker. London: Palgrave Macmillan

Johnson, L.C., & Yanca, S.J. (2010). Social work practice: A generalist approach. (10th ed.).
Prentice-Hall.

Krogsrud, K, M. (2013). Generalist Social Work Practice: An Empowering Approach.

Boston: Pearson.

Kirst-Ashman, K. (2013). Introduction to Social Work & Social Welfare: Critical thinking

Perspectives (4th ed.). Belmont, Calif.: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.

Kirst-Ashman, K.K., & Hull, G.H. (2012). Understanding Generalist Practice. Belmont:
Brooks/ Coe.
Lavalette, M. (ed). (2010). Radical Social Work Today: Social Work at the Crossroads. UK:
Policy Press
Lister, G. P. (2012). Integrating Social Work Theory and Practice: a Practical Skills Guide.
New York: Routledge
Morales, A. T., Shea, B. W., & Scott, M. E. (2010). Social work: A profession of Many Faces

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(12th ed.). Allyn & Bacon

Mullaly, B. (2010). Challenging oppression and confronting privilege: A Critical Social

Work Approach. Don Mills, Ont.: Oxford University Press
Payne, R-H, Payne, M. and R-H, Emma (2019). The Routledge Handbook of Social Work
Theory. NY: Routledge
Reamer, F.G. (2013). Social Work Values and Ethics (4th edition). New York: Columbia
University Press.
Reisch, M., & Andrews, J. (2001). The Road not taken: A history of radical social work in
the United States. Philadelphia, Pa.: Brunner-Routledge
Specht, H., & Courtney, M. (1994). Unfaithful angels: How social work has abandoned its
mission. New York: Free Press
Webb. A. S. (2019). The Routledge Handbook of Critical Social Work. NY: Routledge

Articles
Caputo, R., Epstein, W., Stoesz, D., & Thyer, B. (2015). Postmodernism: A Dead End in
Social Work Epistemology, Journal of Social Work Education, 51, 638-647
Chan, K. W. and Ho, K.L (et.al) (1999) Hegemony of Rationality: Conception of Welfare
Policy Making in Hong Kong HK: Dept. of Applied Social Studies, Hong Kong
Polytechnic University.
Chiu, W.S., & Cheng, Y. T. (2011) “Social work as a moral conception of social work
practice” China Journal of Social Work, 4:3, 292-295
Cornell, K. L. (2006). Person-in-situation: History, theory, and new directions for social work
practice. Praxis, 6, 50-57.

Dominelli, L. (2010). Globalization, Contemporary challenges and Social Work Practice,

International Social Work, 53:5, 599-612.
Dominelli, L. (2012). Green social work: from environment crises to environmental justice.
Cambridge: polity Press, - Chapter 7: Environmental degradation, natural disasters and
marginalization.
Han, M. & Chow, C.C. (2010). What changes MSW Students’ view on the mission of social
work? Social Work Education, 29:2, 205–221

International Federation of Social Workers (2014). Global definition of social work.

Retrieved Aug 26, 2018 from http://ifsw.org/get-involved/global-definition-of-social-
work/

International Federation of Social Workers, International Association of Schools of Social

Work (2014). Ethics in Social Work, Statement of Principles. Retrieved Aug 26, 2018
from http://social-workers.info/

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Critical Introduction to Social Work 2020-2021

C.S.W.E. (2015). Educational policy and accreditation standards.  Retrieved Aug 26 2018
from http://www.cswe.org/File.aspx?id=81660 

IASSW. (2018)/ Global-Social-Work-Statement-of-Ethical-Principles. Retrieved Aug 26,

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Leung, T. T. F., Yip, N. M., Huang, R. G., & Wu, Y. (2012). Governmentality and the
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Reamer, F.G. (1983). Ethical Dilemmas in Social Work Practice. Social Work 28(1), 31-35

Reamer, F.G. (2003). Boundary issues in social work: managing dual relationships. Social
Work, 48(1), 121-133
Social Workers Registration Board (2010). Guidelines on code of practice for registered
social workers. Retrieved July 8, 2016 from
http://www.swrb.org.hk/Engasp/guidelines.asp
Wong, C.W. (1998). From political to personal? Changing social work ideology and practice
in Hong Kong. International Social Work, 41:3, 277-291
Yuen, S. P. (2001). Knowledge and practice: a possible integration among Anfuccanism,
philosophical hermeneutics and social work, Journal of Social Theory, 14:2, 259-331 
Zastrow, C. (2017). Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare: Empowering People
(Twelfth ed.,) Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Morgan, A. (2011). Diverse service users and diverse workers: the impact of globalization. In
J. Seden, S. Mattheews, M. McCormick, & A. Morgan (eds.).Professional development
in social work: complex issues in practice (pp.37-43).Oxon: Routledge.
Kwan, C., & Walsh, C.A. (2015). Climate change adaptation in low-resource countries:
insights gained from an eco-social work and feminist gerontological lens. International
Social Work, 58(3), 385-400.

Oxford Bibliographies in Social Work

http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com.ezproxy.lb.polyu.edu.hk/page/social-work)

Chinese Materials

Ferguson, I. (2013). 挽救社會工作: 挑戰新自由主義與促進社會正義. 香港: 松慧文化

王行. (2014). 尋人啟示: 從西方助人專業回返儒家德性之知. 台北: 松慧文化

甘炳光、 陳偉道及文錦燕(編) (2006). 堅守信念 : 給社工學生的 30 封信. 香港 : 香港城市大學出

版社。

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Critical Introduction to Social Work 2020-2021

甘炳光 (2010) 。社會工作的「社會」涵義：重拾社會工作中的社會本質. 香港社會工作學刊. 第44

期(1/2),17–28

甘炳光. (2011). 社會工作: 意義重塑與展望. 香港社會工作學刊. 第45期(1/2).27-42

甘炳光. (2017). 社工不只是一份工: 服務使用者眼中的社工質素, 香港: 香港城市大學

李昺偉(編) (2014). 專業的良心-轉型時代中國社會工作的守望. 北京: 社會科學文獻出版社

何芝君及麥萍施 (編) (2006). 本質與典範：社會工作的反思. 新加坡: 八方文化創作室

何國良.(2019). 實踐研究的兩種可能性: 治愈與關顧的可能性. 中國社會工作研究. 17, 1-

60

何國良及王思斌編. (2000). 華人社會社會工作本質的初探. 香港: 八方文化創作室

溫玉鏗(等編). (2016). 給社工老師的信. 香港: 策馬文創有限公司

社會工作者註冊局 (2009). 社工專業操守的反思 – 紀律研訊案例彙編. 香港: 社會工作者註冊局

呂大樂. (2010).  凝聚力量 . 香港: 三聯書店(香港)有限公司.

吳巧華等編. (2007). 頂社工_助人自助與頂人自頂. 香港: 紅出版

阮新邦. (2014). 天主教取向的社會工作實踐. 香港: 慈源出版社

陳錦華及梁麗清. (2006). 性別與社會工作, 香港: 中文大學出版社

周永新及陳沃聰 (編) (2013). 社會工作新論 (增訂版)。香港: 商務印書館。

林昭寰及朱志強 . (2014). 社工何價—專業沉思. 香港:  花千樹

林昭寰、游達裕、朱志強及梁傳孫 (2011) 香港社會工作論壇：網上社區工作的經驗與反思. Hong

Kong Journal of Social Work, 45:1/2, 43–58

游達裕 (2013). 他山之石: 一個香港社工的體驗和觀察. 香港: 策馬文創有限公司

游達裕、梁玉麒及曾家達(編) (2014). 微光處處新編. 香港: 策馬文創有限公司

莫慶聯. (2014). 莫忘初心. 香港: 紅出版文化平台

馮可立. (2018). 貧而無怨難──香港民生福利發展史. 香港: 中華書局(香港)有限公司

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梁志遠, 陳智達. (1998). 本地專業化的迷思. 香港: 關注社工專業發展聯席

梁麗清, & 陳錦華. (2006). 性別與社會工作: 理論與實踐. 香港: 中文大學出版社

梁魏懋賢, 黃明樂. (2010). 心靈對焦: 香港社工服務點線面, 香港：商務印書館

羅秀華、沈曜逸、李柏祥及黃韻潔 (編) (2012). 類湯思比館的實踐取向: 社工社群在草根社區的服
務學習與推進. 台北: 松慧文化

羅秀華、沈曜逸、李柏祥及黃韻潔 (編) (2018). 無論身在何處: 14 位社工的社區工作姿態. 台北: 松

慧文化

曾家達, 梁玉麒 (2006) 微光處處. 香港: 策馬文創有限公司

曾華源、胡慧嫈、李仰慈、郭世豐 (2011) . 社會工作專業價值倫理概論 (2版) 。台北: 洪業文化事業

有限公司

歐陽達初及黃和平. (2017). 未完成的香港仕會保障: 批判的導論. 香港: 中華書局

賀玉英、阮新邦編 (2004) 詮釋取向的社會工作實踐, 新加坡: 八方文化創作室

葉子菁. (2018). 來自凡間的天使: 十個蛻變的故事. 香港: 天地圖書有限公司

James Midgley & Amy, Conley (eds.) (2018). 社會工作與社會發展: 發展性社會工作的理念與技術.

台北: 松慧文化

面書群組或網頁:
社工復興運動/香港社會工作者總工會/進步社會工作網絡/香港社會工作者註冊局/香港社會服
務聯會/社會福利署/AMSW 2020/ 社區發展陣線/Social Work Action Network

Useful Journal
China Journal of Social Work; Hong Kong Journal of Social Work; British Journal of Social Work ;
Social Work; Social Work Education; International Social Work, Social Casework, The American
Journal of Family Therapy, Journal of Family Therapy, Social Work with Group, Groupwork
The Journal of Specialists in Groupwork, Journal of Community Practice, Community
Development Journal, Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work and Development.

Social Dialogue-Free magazine of the International Association of Schools of Social Work

http://social-dialogue.com/