About the Book
Modern Social Work Theory is a critical review of a wide range of social work theory and its values in modern practice, starting from the interaction between worker and client and the context in which they meet. Malcolm Payne argues that theory is not separate from practice, not an intellectual creation, but it is socially created. Powerful institutions create expectations of clients and social workers which colour their actions. Debates about the relationship between theory and practice, about pragmatism, positivism and electicism, reflect a struggle between competing forces for control of the nature of social work.
Myriad theories are sometimes presented as complete, competing models, offering confusing choices for the practitioner. Malcolm Payne argues that social work practice is actually very stable, with a fundamental paradigm of practice formed from a number of crucial features. The varying importance given to each of these features, he concludes, reflects political and economic forces which set the modern agenda for social work, and encourages particular ideas to gain an ascendency at different periods. Many competing theories contribute ideas to the basic paradigm of conventional practice, responding to needs which are revealed in practice and in professional and academic debate. Social workers need to understand where these ideas come from and how they fit together in the network of theories that are available.
Modern Social Work Theory offers a measured review of social work theories in themselves and as part of the constellation of ideas available to social workers.
Contents
1. The Social Construction of Social Work Theory
2. Using Social Work Theory in Practice
3. Psychodynamic Models
4. Crisis Intervention and Task-Centred Model&
5. Behavioural Models
6. Systems and Ecological Models
7. Social Psychological and Communication Models
8. Humanist and Existential Models
9. Cognitive Models
10. Radical and Marxist Approaches
11. Empowerment and Advocacy
12. Assessing Social Work Theories
About the Author / Editor
Malcolm Payne is Head of Applied Community Studies at Manchester
Polytechnic. He has previously worked in probation, social services and
the voluntary sector as a social worker and manager.
