Beyond Racial Divides: Ethnicities in Social Work Practice (Contemporary Social Work Studies) - Hardcover

Dominelli, Lena; Lorenz, Walter

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0754614379 ISBN 13: 9780754614371

Publisher: Routledge, 2001

Synopsis

Written by leading authorities in the field, this challenging book addresses complex issues of ethnicity and racial discrimination in ways that encourage further debate and analysis. Its main theme is that social work has been and remains, deeply implicated in racist policies and practices that have been locality specific, but that racism is also recognizable across borders as a phenomenon that appears everywhere. At the same time, the book focuses on innovative theories and practice which seek to promote an emancipatory social work which sets itself the goal of eradicating social injustice - particularly that applying to race. The contributors come from a wide range of countries and describe their experiences in tackling racism in social work at the levels of both theory and practice. This provides an impressive range of perspectives which cover models of social work created by people who have had to live with racism and find ways of overcoming it as well as those who have struggled to become able to express their own ethnicity without oppressing others. The concluding message of the book is a positive one - people can create a world that goes beyond racial divides by accepting, validating and celebrating diversity while at the same time recognizing that people share many commonalities with others which can be used to establish egalitarian relationships, realize social justice and communicate effectively with each other.

About this title

About the Author

Lena Dominelli is President of the International Association of Schools of Social Work and Director of the Centre for International Social and Community Development, The University of Southampton, UK

Review

'...a unique and thought-provoking book that examines race and ethnicity in relation to social work theories and practices...It is a must!' Paula Allen-Meares, University of Michigan, USA '...loaded with important perspectives and insights. On reading this book, one gains a renewed appreciation for the complexity of the concept of racial and ethnic identity; that our identities develop and change in response to life experiences and conditions and, in turn, reciprocally affect our views of these life experiences and conditions. Before our eyes, a potentially fixed construct is transformed into a dynamic one.' Professor Alex Gitterman, University of Connecticut, USA '...the challenge of this book is much greater than simply reaching out into another tradition. The book is an invocation to explore and be transformed. It is to recognize the impoverishment of the narrow confines of European Enlightenment thought and the traditional social sciences and to begin immersing oneself in the fantastically rich knowledges of the peoples of the world. The book will be core reading for social work students, practice teachers, academics and practitioners alike.' British Journal of Social Work '...the papers unfolded as a kaleidoscope of international experience in diverse field settings accompanied by sophisticated practice analysis and research, re-framed insights and terminology. A very helpful compendium of ideas for educators, practitioners and managers of human services, committed to nondiscriminatory and inclusive social work practice.' Australian Social Work 'This edited text by Dominelli, Lorenz and Soydan is timely. It is one that many social work practitioners and educators will want to have on their bookshelf.' International Social Work

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0754614379
• ISBN 13: 9780754614371
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 312