A STORY OF RESISTANCE: ‘CONCERNED SOCIAL WORKERS’

Authors

  • Jeanette Schmid University of Johannesburg
  • Thérèse Sacco University of the Free State

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25159/2415-5829/2255

Keywords:

South African social work, social work activism, social work resistance, anti-oppressive social work, critical social work, pedagogy of the oppressed

Abstract

 The story of Concerned Social Workers (CSW), a progressive South African anti-apartheid social work organisation active in the 1980s and early 1990s, provides important lessons in social work activism in situations of inequality and injustice. This article describes the context in which CSW emerged, the raison d’être of the organisation, and activities in which the group engaged. Reflected through a qualitative study, members remember their CSW activism as shaping both their personal and professional identities. They suggest that CSW made an important contribution to the South African social work landscape. A record of this social work engagement provides younger social workers with inspiration to become social agents in a time where injustice continues to prevail and prompts older social workers to become energised and confront any complacency.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Bailey, R. and Brake, M. (Eds.). (1975). Radical Social Work London: Edward Arnold.

Baines, D. (Ed.). (2011). Doing Anti-oppressive Practice: Social Justice in Social Work Nova Scotia: Fernwood Publishing, Second Edition.

Chothia, F. (1989). “Jail Hasn’t Broken Apelgren†The New African London: IC Publications (June):8.

Clifford, D. and Burke, B. (2009). Anti-oppressive Ethics and Values in Social Work Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

The Mines and Works Act (Colour Bar Act) of 1926 (Act No. 25 of 1926) [South Africa].

Corrigan, P. and Leonard, P. (1978). Social Work Practice Under Capitalism: A Marxist Approach London: Macmillan. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-15879-9

Creswell, J.W. (1998). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Traditions Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Dominelli, L. (2002). Anti-oppressive Social Work Theory and Practice New York: Palgrave Macmillan. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4039-1400-2

Ezzy, D. (2002). Qualitative Analysis Crows Nest, NSW: Allen and Unwin.

Ferguson, I. (2008). Reclaiming Social Work: Challenging Neo-liberalism and Promoting Social Justice Los Angeles: Sage Publications. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446212110

Fook, J. (2002). Social Work: Critical Theory and Practice London: SAGE.

Fook, J. (1993). Radical Casework St Leonards, Australia: Allen and Unwin.

Foucault, M. (2000). “Governmentality†in Faubion, J.D. (Ed.). Power: The Essential Works of Foucault 1954-1984 (3):201-222. London: Penguin. Original work published 1978.

Greater Johannesburg Welfare Social Service and Development Forum. (1999). Submissions from the Welfare Sector to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Unpublished manuscript) Johannesburg, Author.

Hare, I. and Hoffmann, W. (1987). Social Work Education at Wits 1937-1987 Johannesburg: School of Social Work, University of Witwatersrand.

In Touch. (1989). “A Focus on Repression†In Touch: Newsletter of Concerned Social Workers (1):1-11.

Krueger, R.A. and Casey, M.A. (2000). Focus Groups: A Practical Guide for Applied Research Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Third Edition.

Langan, M. and Lee, P. (Eds.). (1989). Radical Social Work Today London: Unwin Hyman.

Loffell, J. (2000). “Truth and the Social Services†Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk 36(1):53-68.

Lombard, A. (2000). “The Professional Status of Social Work†Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk 36(4):311-331.

McKendrick, B. (1990). “The South African Social Welfare System†in McKendrick, B. (Ed.). Introduction to Social Work in South Africa Pretoria: Haum Tertiary, 3-43.

Natives Land Act (Act No. 27 of 1913) [South Africa].

Native Land and Trust Act (Act No. 18 of 1936) [South Africa].

Natives Urban Areas Act (Act No. 21 of 1923) as amended in 1937 [South Africa].

O’Neill, M. (1999). “Social Justice as Core Value of Social Work†in Submissions from the Welfare Sector to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Unpublished Document) Greater Johannesburg, Social Service and Development Forum.

Patel, L. (1992). Restructuring Social Welfare: Options for South Africa Johannesburg: Ravan Press.

Patel, L. (2005). Social Welfare and Social Development in South Africa Cape Town: Oxford University Press Southern Africa.

Patel, L., Schmid, J. and Hochfeld, T. (2012). “Transforming Social Services in South Africa: NPO Managers’ Perspectives†Administration in Social Work 36:212-23. doi:10.1080/03643107.2011.567321. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03643107.2011.567321

Potgieter, M.C. (1998). The Social Work Process: Development to Empower People Cape Town: Prentice Hall South Africa.

Sacco, T.M. (2011). Dealing with the Past, Healing for the Future: Conceptualising Reconciliation for Post-apartheid Social Work (Unpublished Doctorate of Philosophy) St Augustine College, Johannesburg.

Seekings, J. (2000). The UDF: A History of the United Democratic Front in South Africa, 1983-1991 Cape Town: David Philip.

Statham, D. (1978). Radicals in Social Work London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

Thompson, N. (2006). Anti-discriminatory Practice Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, Fourth Edition. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-28531-7

Wilson, F. (1975). “Farming 1866-1966†in Wilson, M. and Thompson, L. (Eds.). The Oxford History of South Africa Volume 2 London: Oxford University Press, 104-153.

Downloads

Published

2017-03-03

How to Cite

Schmid, Jeanette, and Thérèse Sacco. 2014. “A STORY OF RESISTANCE: ‘CONCERNED SOCIAL WORKERS’”. Southern African Journal of Social Work and Social Development 26 (3):291-308. https://doi.org/10.25159/2415-5829/2255.

Issue

Section

Back issues