Teaching Gender in Social Work - MailChimp
Teaching Gender in Social Work - MailChimp
Teaching Gender in Social Work - MailChimp
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Römer-Gobb<strong>in</strong>, who wrote about the female police (figure 37), was a former<br />
student of the school, 10 as was also Vera L<strong>in</strong>ger, who signed the text about the<br />
Welfare Archives (Archiv für Wohlfahrtspflege) (figure 38). 11<br />
The album thus reveals an impressive network of women and <strong>in</strong>stitutions,<br />
work<strong>in</strong>g together to develop modern social work as a profession <strong>in</strong> various<br />
fields with a correspond<strong>in</strong>g need for education. But it reveals even more than<br />
this. The character of the album and the photographic pictures, the manner <strong>in</strong><br />
which objects/subjects are represented, the composition of the album and the<br />
presentation of the explanatory texts, all of these tell us someth<strong>in</strong>g about how<br />
social work was understood and <strong>in</strong>terpreted at the outset, not least because of<br />
Alice Salomon. This k<strong>in</strong>d of reflection cannot be replaced by putt<strong>in</strong>g forward<br />
a scientific theory. To illustrate this, I will conclude by contemplat<strong>in</strong>g a s<strong>in</strong>gle<br />
picture <strong>in</strong> greater detail.<br />
The chosen photo, my example, depicts the club of young female<br />
workers. This club was founded <strong>in</strong> 1898 by Alice Salomon and some colleagues<br />
(figure 39). Look<strong>in</strong>g at the photograph we may ask: what is the effect and<br />
message of this photo? Which impression does it produce? How is it made? To<br />
answer the last of these questions, it seems to be a professional photo.<br />
The situation looks arranged rather than spontaneous or accidental.<br />
It is a composition, and could even be compared to a pa<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g. Each of the<br />
young women is appropriately positioned. They are do<strong>in</strong>g various th<strong>in</strong>gs,<br />
play<strong>in</strong>g together, read<strong>in</strong>g, knitt<strong>in</strong>g and talk<strong>in</strong>g. They are not look<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to the<br />
camera, but are look<strong>in</strong>g at each other or at what they are do<strong>in</strong>g. It is a plea-<br />
10<br />
“The new professional branch of female police work could not conceivably function without social education. The<br />
need for our task was born out of the knowledge of our social work up to now. It is the need for <strong>in</strong>tensely preventive<br />
work that suits the character of women work<strong>in</strong>g with female and young offenders. Heide Römer-Gobb<strong>in</strong>”. Wronsky,<br />
„Alice Salomon“, 15.<br />
11<br />
“The Welfare Archives, the collection and research place of all material <strong>in</strong> the area of public welfare takes care of<br />
tra<strong>in</strong>ees at the welfare school [i.e. the Soziale Frauenschule]. They are given the opportunity to follow discussions<br />
about basic problems while work<strong>in</strong>g under supervision <strong>in</strong> the department that is <strong>in</strong> charge of the magaz<strong>in</strong>e collection,<br />
the library and the statute book. They get an <strong>in</strong>sight <strong>in</strong>to the development of public welfare while they are work<strong>in</strong>g<br />
at the organisation files of the Berl<strong>in</strong> collection <strong>in</strong> which the development through four decades can be pursued<br />
<strong>in</strong> detail, the effects of <strong>in</strong>dustrialisation, of war time and the post-war period. That is of historic and general value<br />
because the collection gives an <strong>in</strong>sight <strong>in</strong>to the many different types of public welfare – major urban, small-town<br />
and rural public welfare. Students are given the opportunity to learn about typical forms and <strong>in</strong>stitutions of public<br />
welfare <strong>in</strong> the collection about all the <strong>in</strong>stitutions <strong>in</strong> the German states, prov<strong>in</strong>ces and local authority districts as well<br />
as abroad while they work on the special card files. A great number of students have been tra<strong>in</strong>ees <strong>in</strong> the archives<br />
s<strong>in</strong>ce the establishment of the <strong>Social</strong> Women’s School. Vera L<strong>in</strong>ger“. Wronsky, „Alice Salomon“, 11.<br />
183