Alain Touraine : the politics of collective action
- Authors: Ottmann, Goetz , Noble, Carolyn
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: The Routledge Handbook of Critical Pedagogies for Social Work p. 465-476
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- Description: This chapter takes as its starting point Touraine’s work on new social movements that explains how social change occurs. Touraine’s work focuses on how people come together to challenge and alter cultural and socio-political boundaries of a social, institutional or political system deemed to be discriminatory or oppressive. Becoming involved in social action against social disadvantage and injustice, and struggling for changes in law, public policy and the political culture can empower people to take control of their lives. Linking community development and social action with social movements theory and practice is, we argue, the most effective and salient method for the advancement of a more progressive social work practice. How this analysis influences the teaching and practice of community development and social action to advance a more progressive, transformative social work practice is explored. © 2020 selection and editorial matter, Christine Morley, Phillip Ablett, Carolyn Noble, and Stephen Cowden.
COVID-19 and the welfare state : social work’s practice and policy
- Authors: Noble, Carolyn , Ottmann, Goetz
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Post-Pandemic Welfare and Social Work: Re-imagining the New Normal Chapter 19 p. 220-227
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- Description: This chapter attempts to situate social work within the wider social and political context of the post-pandemic
Nationalist Populism and Social Work
- Authors: Noble, Carolyn , Ottmann, Goetz
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Human Rights and Social Work Vol. 3, no. 3 (2018), p. 112-120
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- Description: This article outlines how the current rise in right-wing populism poses a threat to social work’s humanist positioning within western democracy and what strategies are needed to restore faith in the liberal democratic institutions that are committed to human rights and a polity that provides for all its citizens despite their diversity and often opposing interests. Using the example of the rise of ethnic-nationalist populism in the twentieth century in Europe, we forget at our peril how easily human rights can be both compromised and undermined. Today’s social works can learn from social work’s role in supporting the ethnic practices of Nazi Germany and be forewarned. The article highlights how a culture of hyper-productivity, anti-humanist populism, and authoritarian welfare can erode the human rights framework underpinning social work. By focussing on contemporary social work’s more progressive stance with its commitment to anti-oppressive practice, its linkages with civil society and community activism, and its commitment to carve out a prominent political space for advancing a human rights agenda, we hope to learn lessons from the past and act collectively to protect and return confidence to a universal human rights agenda for a progressive social work practice. © 2018, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
Post-pandemic social work and the welfare state
- Authors: Noble, Carolyn , Ottmann, Goetz
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Post-Pandemic Welfare and Social Work: Re-imagining the New Normal Chapter 1 p. 1-14
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- Description: This edited book offers a critical commentary to the social, political and cultural shifts that underpin the post-pandemic ʼnew normal’. At the time of completing this edited book, most pandemic containment measures have been lifted ushering in a new socio-political landscape. Contributors to this book agree that the pandemic revealed the cracks in welfare systems resulting from decades of underfunding and posited a rethink of its value and function. COVID-19 has reminded us of our vulnerability and dependence on others. It has debunked the myth of the ideal of the self-contained, self-sufficient and independent subject at the core of liberal political and moral philosophy that is also manifest in pre-COVID-19 interpretations of welfare and visions of care. The chapter argues that post-pandemic welfare must be expanded to include relational aspects that link all beings in their inter-dependence with the planetary ecosystem. We affirm that Critical social work is a strategic activity where social workers are taking on a networked leadership role promoting grassroots activism and more democratic decision-making towards a more sustainable and equitable future. © 2024 selection and editorial matter, Goetz Ottmann and Carolyn Noble; individual chapters, the contributors.
Right-wing nationalist populism and social work : some definitions and features
- Authors: Noble, Carolyn , Ottmann, Goetz
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: The Challenge of Right-wing Nationalist Populism for Social Work : a Human Rights Approach p. 1-14
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- Description: The rise of right-wing nationalist populism in our increasingly uncertain world poses serious threats to already marginalised groups such as women, migrants, asylum seekers, Indigenous people, and members of ethnic and minority communities. This chapter explores some definitions of right-wing nationalist populism and describes many of its features. We argue that the rise of right-wing populism poses a major challenge to social work’s practice foundations and professional stake in promoting human and democratic rights for all. If unaddressed, populist nationalism has the potential to erode even further the humanist fabric of our societies, making welfare contingent upon ethnicity, social status and level of economic ‘activation’. The challenge for social work is to oppose right-wing populist policies and practices wherever they manifest, and to promote effective, non-violent alternatives that can capture the popular political imaginary. While the threat to human rights-based social work is serious, it also harbours the possibility that the ensuing confrontations will renew and strengthen the profession’s commitment to non-violent, inclusive, socially just practice.
Social work in Australia : content, content and challenges
- Authors: Noble, Carolyn , Goetz, Ottmann
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Social work in XXI Century St.: Challenges for academic and professional training p. 12-22
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- Description: This chapter outlines in broad terms the type of professional training required for students to enter the social work profession in Australia. Attention is given to its context in the higher education sector, its program content including theory, skills and practicum and outlines the challenges for the 21stcentury for graduates. In Australia there are two levels of professional training with different entry pathways. The first is the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) which is a 4 year undergraduate program and the second is Master in Social Work Qualifying (MSW(Q) which is a 2 year post graduate degree.