In This Article Expand or collapse the "in this article" section Social Work Theory

  • Introduction
  • Conceptualizations
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Social Work Social Work Theory
by
Malcolm Payne
  • LAST MODIFIED: 22 November 2024
  • DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780195389678-0339

Introduction

Theory offers generalized, organized sets of ideas that describe and explain knowledge of the world. The boundary and compass of social work theory is contested, reflecting cultural and national or regional assumptions and concerns. Theory about the nature of social work is distinguishable from theory about how to do social work (“practice theory”) and theory about clients or service users (both individual and collective) and the issues they present social workers with. Theoretical work sometimes includes analysis or reflection on conceptualizations relevant to social work, ethics and values of social work, generalizations about management and organization of practice, principles underlying practice, and political and policy perspectives on issues that social workers deal with. To some degree these categories overlap and represent different approaches to consideration of social work, its intellectual field, its occupational identity, and its practice. Social work theory also interacts with theory in the broader humanities and social sciences, for example ideas about dependence, freedom, governmentality, and social construction. Theory about the nature of social work sometimes distinguishes it from cognate occupational actions (such as advice-giving, advocacy, clinical psychology, counseling, psychotherapy), overlapping occupational fields (such as development workers, doctors, lawyers, ministers of religion, nurses, professions allied to medicine, psychiatrists, teachers), or related intellectual fields (such as law, psychology, social policy, sociology). It may also seek to establish explanations for the emergence of social work or its aims and boundaries. Practice theory about how to achieve particular aims or perform various tasks is present in all occupational groups. In social work, it may be broad analysis connected with the nature of the occupation (for example caring, offering insight into personal difficulties, maintaining social order, social progress). It may also provide models or templates for social work actions, for example community work or task-centered practice. Theory about clients conceptualizes and theorizes categories of client, for example, child, community, family, or important social categories relevant to social work, for example, adoption, child protection, drug abuse, minority ethnic group, social justice. In addition, conceptualizations of aspects of social work are also included or implied in social work theory. This might include issues about its nature, practice, and values such as assessment, care, counseling, psychotherapy, self-direction, treatment. In this bibliography, the first three sections cover historic and historical texts, overview and reference works, and conceptual texts. The latter part of the bibliography covers theories of practice in alphabetical order.

Historical and Historic

Historic works are iconic works representing theory or particular aspects of it during the period in which they were written; they are presented in alphabetical order of the author’s surname. Historical texts are concerned with looking back, presenting an evidenced account of theoretical development over a historical period.

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