Teaching Gender in Social Work - MailChimp
Teaching Gender in Social Work - MailChimp
Teaching Gender in Social Work - MailChimp
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3. How is anti-discrim<strong>in</strong>ation and anti-oppressive practice possible<br />
through this method?<br />
4. How does this approach problematise men and mascul<strong>in</strong>ity?<br />
5. What emphasis is placed on biological difference vis-à-vis<br />
arguments about social construction?<br />
6. To what extent are gender relations socially constructed?<br />
7. Is there space <strong>in</strong> present day social work for this approach?<br />
What are the limitations?<br />
Themes for debate which emerge from this <strong>in</strong>clude:<br />
• A recognition of the value of break<strong>in</strong>g down gender <strong>in</strong>to l<strong>in</strong>es of<br />
class <strong>in</strong> particular<br />
• Along with the other two ma<strong>in</strong> perspectives, it has tended to be<br />
most relevant for problematis<strong>in</strong>g a Western democratic context<br />
and less so for understand<strong>in</strong>g issues for women from ethnic<br />
m<strong>in</strong>orities <strong>in</strong> the United K<strong>in</strong>gdom or for understand<strong>in</strong>g fem<strong>in</strong>ism<br />
with<strong>in</strong> different governance and social structures.<br />
• It puts gender above other forms of discrim<strong>in</strong>ation which need<br />
equal attention: for example, discrim<strong>in</strong>ation aga<strong>in</strong>st women<br />
and men on the grounds of race, disability, religion, and so on.<br />
• It does not provide sufficient guidance concern<strong>in</strong>g how to engage<br />
men via this approach <strong>in</strong> social work.<br />
Mov<strong>in</strong>g on to the <strong>in</strong>troduction of broader <strong>in</strong>ternational perspectives opens<br />
up space for understand<strong>in</strong>g gender from a cultural perspective <strong>in</strong> particular.<br />
This is done via discussions of Black Fem<strong>in</strong>ism along the same l<strong>in</strong>es as above,<br />
as well as emphasis<strong>in</strong>g an understand<strong>in</strong>g of ‘the family’ from an <strong>in</strong>ternational<br />
perspective. For example, students learn to reflect critically on read<strong>in</strong>gs such<br />
as the special edition of the journal International Sociology and <strong>Social</strong> Policy on<br />
‘K<strong>in</strong>ship and Family <strong>in</strong> International Context’ as an illustration of how family<br />
life and gender relations are constructed with<strong>in</strong> their own social and political<br />
context. 13 F<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs from recent histories of social work <strong>in</strong> Eastern Europe<br />
13<br />
International Sociology and <strong>Social</strong> Policy: Special Edition “K<strong>in</strong>ship and Family <strong>in</strong> International Context” 5, no. 3 (2005).<br />
23