| Description |
1 online resource (xxiii, 210 pages) : illustrations (some color) |
| Contents |
Intro -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- Contents -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- About the Authors and Contributor -- Authors -- Contributor -- Part I: Complex Practice in a Complex World -- Chapter 1: Introduction: Social Work in a Changing World -- 1.1 Introduction and Learning Opportunities -- 1.1.1 Brief History of Social Work's Emergence and Adaptation -- 1.1.1.1 Origins -- 1.1.1.2 The Information Age and Globalisation -- 1.1.1.3 Twenty-First Century: COVID-19 -- 1.1.2 Social Work -- 1.1.2.1 Person-in-Environment -- 1.1.2.2 Theories and Models -- 1.1.2.3 Tensions and Challenges |
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1.1.3 Social Work in the First Quarter of the Twenty-First Century -- 1.1.3.1 Complexity Theory, Complex Adaptive Systems and Pragmatism -- 1.1.4 Introduction to the Book -- References -- Chapter 2: The Strengths and Limitations of Social Work -- 2.1 Introduction and Learning Opportunities -- 2.2 Strengths of Social Work -- 2.2.1 Ethical Commitment -- 2.2.2 Value Base -- 2.2.3 Valuing Reflective Practice -- 2.2.4 Relationship Focus of Practice -- 2.2.5 Foundational Location Within Social, Geographic and Cultural Contexts -- 2.2.6 Person-in-Environment: Micro, Meso, Macro |
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2.2.7 'Borrowing' of Theory, Models and Concepts -- 2.2.8 Commitment to Collaboration -- 2.2.9 Pragmatic Approach to Taking Action -- 2.2.10 Challenges for Social Work: Uncertainty, Risk and 'Not Knowing' -- 2.2.11 Wicked Problems, Risk and Uncertainty -- 2.3 Moving Ahead: Complexity Theory -- 2.4 Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 3: Becoming a Complexity Thinker: Towards an Epistemology of Social Work Practice -- 3.1 Introduction and Learning Opportunities -- 3.2 Starting Out -- 3.3 What Do We Know? -- 3.3.1 Complexity Theory and Complex Adaptive Systems -- 3.3.2 Micro, Meso, Macro |
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3.3.2.1 The 'Micro' Level -- 3.3.2.2 The Macro 'Level' -- 3.3.2.3 The Meso 'Level' -- 3.3.3 What Is Complexity Theory? -- 3.3.4 Complex Adaptive Systems -- 3.3.4.1 Emergence -- 3.4 Where CT Takes Social Work -- 3.4.1 How Do We Know? -- 3.4.2 Pragmatism -- 3.4.3 Organising What We Know -- 3.5 Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 4: Thinking Complexity and Acting Pragmatically -- 4.1 Introduction and Learning Opportunities -- 4.2 Constructing the Narrative -- 4.3 Starting Where the Client Is -- 4.3.1 Nested CAS -- 4.4 The Centrality of the Narrative -- 4.5 From Narrative to Strategy |
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4.6 Thinking Complexity in Action -- 4.6.1 A Guide to Thinking Complexity and Acting Pragmatically -- References -- Part II: Thinking Complexity in Practice -- Chapter 5: Early Doing and Thinking Complexity: The Multiple and Complex Needs Initiative -- 5.1 Introduction and Learning Opportunities -- 5.2 The Context of Legislating for MACNI -- 5.3 Development of the Multiple and Complex Needs Initiative -- 5.4 Program Emergence: Development and Implementation/Evolution -- 5.5 Operation of MACNI -- 5.5.1 Assessment, Formulation and Care Planning |
| Summary |
This textbook provides a grounding in complexity theory, demonstrating how it can influence and shape social work interventions in policy, management, and practice, as well as forming an epistemological and methodological basis for research. It provides a contemporary theoretical basis for social work practice, equipping social workers to work in a 21st-Century world. The authors argue that the history of social work demonstrates the profession's engagement with the social and structural problems of each era since its emergence 150 years ago. However, in the 21st Century, such things as globalisation, the COVID-19 pandemic, and climate change have highlighted that existing theories and practice models are insufficient to the task of working with the complicatedness of contemporary life in a fast-changing world. Distilling the central tenets of Complexity Theory and the notion of complex adaptive systems in partnership with pragmatism, the book provides practice perspectives and guidelines which build on social work's enduring commitment to understanding the person-in-context. The recognition that social workers require conceptual and theoretical agility to work across micro, meso and macro 'levels' remains central, but the argument is made that their focus and practice must primarily be at the meso level. The authorship of combined academic and practice expertise enables such perspectives to be brought to life through the theoretical and practical analysis of conceptual and 'real-world' challenges. The book consists of 13 chapters organized in three sections: Part I: Complex Practice in a Complex World Part II: Thinking Complexity in Practice Part III: Thinking Complexity in Public Policy, Research and Education Complexity Theory for Social Work Practice encourages social workers to 'think complexity' and 'act pragmatically'. It is intended for final-year social work students; academics and researchers working in a range of disciplines, primarily in the social work field but also in the areas of sociology, psychology and anthropology; and practitioners in policy, research, management and practice settings. |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index |
| Notes |
Description based upon print version of record |
| Subject |
Social service -- Philosophy
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Complexity (Philosophy) -- Social aspects
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Social service -- Philosophy
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| Form |
Electronic book
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| Author |
Brydon, Kerry
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Haynes, Alex
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Moon, Felicity
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Hamilton, Margaret
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| ISBN |
9783031386770 |
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3031386779 |
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