Showing papers in "Qualitative Social Work in 2005"
TL;DR: The authors examine how the concept of narrative has entered social work over the past 15 years, with special emphasis on research applications. Approaching their task from distinctive standpoints and locatio...
Abstract: We examine how the concept of narrative has entered social work over the past 15 years, with special emphasis on research applications. Approaching our task from distinctive standpoints and locatio...
424 citations
TL;DR: The authors explored the use of photography and poetry as tools of qualitative social research, and explored how might the visual representation of reality (photography) might be used for qualitative social analysis.
Abstract: This study explores the use of photography and poetry as tools of qualitative social research. The question guiding this exploration is how might the visual representation of reality (photography) ...
87 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used Stein and Markus' self-concept and behavior change framework to examine youth offenders' responses to individual-level treatment in a residential correctional facility and found that nearly all of the offenders had loosely organized or vague strategies for achieving their hoped for or idealized selves.
Abstract: This study uses Stein and Markus’ (1996) self-concept and behavior change framework to examine youth offenders’ responses to individual-level treatment in a residential correctional facility. The authors analysed transcripts collected from 10 male offenders, aged 15‐17, who were interviewed at least three times over a period of four to six months. Results showed that while many offenders were able to identify negative trends in their life that led to their criminal behavior, other cognitively filtered out self-defeating information and did not identify troubling life patterns. Offenders also articulated visions of hoped for selves that were anchored in their lived experiences with positive role models and feared the selves that they might become if they continued down a criminal path. However, nearly all of the offenders had loosely organized or vague strategies for achieving their hoped for or idealized selves. Based on these findings, the authors pose implications for self-concept theory and for treatment practices with this population group.
64 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors highlight the ways in which social workers and other helping professionals constructed a mother, her daughter and their own reality through the use of authorial devices such as moral characterization, point of view, and other techniques.
Abstract: The central focus of the article is a case study in which the author highlights the ways in which social workers and other helping professionals constructed a mother, her daughter and their own realities through the use of authorial devices such as moral characterization, point of view, and other techniques. This analysis is made on the basis of oral and written accounts available in this case and focuses primarily on some of the narrative strategies underpinning interventions in the case. These, it is maintained, served social workers in making their representations persuasive for various publics. Moreover, this analysis shows that social work accounts are also deeply moral narrative strategies. The narrative materials examined here about a mother illustrate how the character of a morally unsuitable woman and parent are constructed in social work accounts. The analysis also demonstrates that such moral constructions then serve as the basis for interventions requiring justification when presented to impor...
54 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the NSPCC's Young People's Centres were used as a vehicle for the discussion on the ethical issues and practical difficulties of working with young service users as co-researchers.
Abstract: This article explores some of the methodological challenges in working with young service users as co-researchers. The issues and concerns are highlighted using the national evaluation of the NSPCC’s Young People’s Centres as the vehicle for the discussion. In particular the article highlights the ethical issues and practical difficulties of this approach, demonstrating how these might be addressed. This article is offered as a contribution to the debate as to how best to involve young service users in research.
47 citations
45 citations
TL;DR: This paper analyzed claims about "family" status made within narratives by and about lesbian and gay foster carers and adopters and asked how such claims work in order to challenge the vie...
Abstract: This article analyses claims about ‘family’ status made within narratives by and about lesbian and gay foster carers and adopters. The author asks how such claims work in order to challenge the vie...
40 citations
TL;DR: Bogolub and Thomas as mentioned in this paper conducted separate qualitative research studies with foster children and engaged in a cross-cultural dialogue based on their differing perspectives on the importance of birth parent consent for foster children's research participation.
Abstract: Prior to writing this article, the two authors (Bogolub, US and Thomas, UK) conducted separate qualitative research studies with foster children. After briefly describing their individual studies, the two authors engage in a cross-cultural dialogue based on their differing perspectives on the importance of birth parent consent for foster children’s research participation. The authors’ differences appear largely, although not exclusively, related to contrasts between a US academic culture, which often stresses the fiduciary relationship between parents and developing children, and a UK academic culture, which places more emphasis on children’s competence and independence. Conclusions center on the importance of cross-cultural dialogue as a way to promote considered decisions about the overlapping methodological and ethical questions that inevitably arise when doing research with children, particularly those involved with the child welfare system.
37 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a strategy for generating information with young people about their daily lives and the intersection between these sorts of experiences and broader patterns of inclusion and exclusion is discussed, where eco-map and social network techniques from social work practice, city mapping strategies from geography and interview strategies from qualitative methods.
Abstract: There is a growing interest in expanding the agendas of research, policy and practice by the direct inclusion of young people so that these groups can contribute meaningfully to developments and decision-making. This article outlines a strategy for generating information with young people about their daily lives and the intersection between these sorts of experiences and broader patterns of inclusion and exclusion. Discussion applies eco-map and social network techniques from social work practice, city mapping strategies from geography and interview strategies from qualitative methods. It also includes a new strategy: the daily life story technique developed in conjunction with young people. These strategies provide a framework for managing conversations about experience, meaning and possible futures. Discussion illustrates the way in which a range of different strategies can be combined so that an interview can become a rich source of varied information about meaning, context, experience, events, places ...
36 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors describe and analyse the ways by which interviewees regard their emotional processes, values, and identities as vehicles by which they construct the recollection and the narrative of a violent event.
Abstract: Through autobiographical memory people give meaning to what has happened to them. When people are involved in traumatic events, they are faced with essential and existential questions regarding their identity and relation with others and the world. On the one hand, they have the need to recollect and process those memories; on the other hand, they feel a need to distance themselves and forget or detach from the pain and threat involved in such memories. Data was collected from in-depth interviews of 20 couples involved in domestic violence. Data analysis revealed that the reconstruction of narrative memory serves as a tool for positioning oneself vis-a-vis the violent experience. We describe and analyse the ways by which interviewees regard their emotional processes, values, and identities as vehicles by which they construct the recollection and the narrative of a violent event.
34 citations
TL;DR: In this article, an analysis of the interaction between parents (who are reluctant to consent to testing) and the school representatives is reported, showing that the experts have already decided beforehand to get the boy tested for ADHD, and that any alternatives, such as pedagogical issues or relational/environmental circumstances, were never discussed during the process.
Abstract: Recently neuropsychiatric diagnoses have come to play an important role in Swedish schools when handling dilemmas encountered in the context of children who experience difficulties. The general interest of the work reported here is the issue of when and how such diagnoses (notably Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder [ADHD]) are assigned to children. In the present study, an analysis of the interaction between parents (who are reluctant to consent to testing) and the school representatives is reported. It is shown that the experts have already decided beforehand to get the boy tested for ADHD. The attempts to persuade the parents that this would be beneficial for everyone include such arguments as that it would make it easier for the school to help the pupil, and that it would even make it easier for the parents to relate to their child. Any alternatives, such as pedagogical issues or relational/environmental circumstances, were never discussed during the process.
TL;DR: In this paper, a call for the international community of qualitative researchers to address the implications of the attempt by federal governments to regulate scientific inquiry by defining what is good and what is bad.
Abstract: This is a call for the international community of qualitative researchers to address the implications of the attempt by federal governments to regulate scientific inquiry by defining what is good s...
TL;DR: In this paper, a philosophical position called "realism" is proposed as a foundation for social work knowledge, which is a phenomenon consisting of three parts: research, education and professional practise.
Abstract: Could a philosophical position called ‘realism’ act as a foundation for social work knowledge? Social work is a phenomenon consisting of three parts: research, education and professional practise. The aim of social work is to alleviate social problems – and this task can be fulfilled through all the three parts of social work. Research must help not only the professional practise, but also the teaching of social work methods. When speaking of research methodology, social work research should overcome the pitfalls of empiricism, inductivism and relativism, and take into consideration of the powers of societal structures, history and nature. The ideas of realism can help in the realization of this task.
TL;DR: The authors collects the variation of forms of subtle persuasion embedded in social work interviewing and discusses the constructionist idea that institutional interviewing is not an innocent practice. But it is based on the assumption that institutional interviews are not innocent practices.
Abstract: The article collects the variation of forms of subtle persuasion embedded in social work interviewing. It is based on the constructionist idea that institutional interviewing is not an innocent pra...
TL;DR: In this article, the present article describes several methodological questions with which I have had to contend over the past four years regarding teaching a qualitative research seminar and the topic of the seminar.
Abstract: The present article describes several methodological questions with which I have had to contend over the past four years regarding teaching a qualitative research seminar. The topic of the seminar ...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors consider the usefulness of the oral life (hi)story approach, and in particular its qualitative method of interviewing, to researching social work issues such as trans-racial adoption.
Abstract: The article considers the usefulness of the oral life (hi)story approach, and in particular its qualitative method of interviewing, to researching social work issues such as trans-racial adoption. In providing clarification on the decision to use the term life (hi)story in the given (bracketed) way, a descriptive outline of the reported study’s research design into trans-racial adoption is provided. This is followed by a critically reflective assessment of the key methodological issues emanating from the study’s use of oral life (hi)story, highlighting not only its limitations but also offering guidance on its use. In doing so, it is argued that despite some discrepancies, oral life (hi)story offers access to a deeper level of understanding about adoptees’ lives. It also empowers adoptees by giving them the opportunity to speak for themselves about their own lives.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on how professionals, mostly social workers, try to make sense of their clients' cases when sharing their cases with others in a German family counseling centre.
Abstract: The article, which is based on qualitative field research in a German family counselling centre, focuses on how professionals, mostly social workers, try to make sense of their cases when sharing t...
TL;DR: In this paper, the use of the record in institutional conversations was analyzed and it was argued that the way the institutional record is introduced and how the two versions of the applicant were handled in the conversation has important pedagogical implications in the work of transforming the social position of the citizen.
Abstract: Encounters between citizens and institutions are characterized by communicative activities where questions and answers are crucial elements. This kind of information eliciting constitutes a necessary part of institutional work in order to efficiently process the case, but it also has normative dimensions. In this study the use of the record in institutional conversations was analysed. The empirical material consists of 30 vocational guidance conversations at a public employment office between institutional actors and long-term unemployed applicants. In these conversations two versions of the applicant were addressed: the person and the record. It is argued that the way the institutional record is introduced and how the two versions are handled in the conversation has important pedagogical implications in the work of transforming the social position of the citizen.
TL;DR: In this article, the author explores the journey and the dilemmas the author has experienced whilst coordinating a participatory research programme with adults with learning disabilities, and considers the roles he has assumed, and explores his relationship with those with whom he is working.
Abstract: Traditional social research rarely considers ‘research as it is experienced' (Stanley and Wise, 1993: 153). Instead, it promotes a detached, objective stance, where sanitized accounts hide the issues and dilemmas researchers encounter. Yet the researcher is a central player in the research exercise, and ‘cannot be left behind... from discussions and written accounts’ (Stanley and Wise, 1993: 161) about the process. This article explores the journey and the dilemmas the author has experienced whilst coordinating a participatory research programme with adults with learning disabilities. It considers the roles he has assumed, and explores his relationship with those with whom he is working. As one member of a research team, the author found himself introduced to issues related to the everyday lives of the co-researchers, and which appeared to have little to do with the wider project. Yet these symbolized the need for independence and autonomy, issues implicit in the wider project. As such, this article trace...
TL;DR: In this paper, a case study of social workers' constructions of mothers of sexually abused children revealed that, although they no longer constructed mothers as collusive, these socia...
Abstract: This article reports a case study of social workers’ constructions of mothers of sexually abused children, which revealed that, although they no longer constructed mothers as collusive, these socia...
TL;DR: Many women who leave welfare for work simply join the ranks of the working poor (Bowie et al., 2001; Edin and Lein, 1997; Gueron and Pauly, 1991; Levitan and Shapiro, 1987; Rank, 1994) as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Many women who leave welfare for work simply join the ranks of the working poor (Bowie et al., 2001; Edin and Lein, 1997; Gueron and Pauly, 1991; Levitan and Shapiro, 1987; Rank, 1994). Little is k...
TL;DR: In this paper, a life-story study of 13 women living in deep and long-term poverty in Israel is described, and most of the women married at a young age and became mothers a short time thereafter.
Abstract: This article describes a life-story study of 13 women living in deep and long-term poverty in Israel. Most of the women married at a young age and became mothers a short time thereafter. A combinat...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors report on the findings of a study that sought to assess the perspective of public defenders in Israel's welfare-oriented Juvenile Courts, where public defenders were gradually introduced between 1999 and 2003.
Abstract: Between 1999 and 2003 public defenders were gradually introduced into Israel's welfare-oriented Juvenile Courts. This article reports on the findings of a study that sought to assess the perspectiv...
TL;DR: This article pointed out that much of the literature on sexual abuse of males tends to emphasize the harmful effects of the abuse, while deviants from assumed causal assessments do not seem to attract equal attention.
Abstract: Much of the literature on sexual abuse of males tends to emphasize the harmful effects of the abuse. ‘Deviants’ from assumed causal assessments do not seem to attract equal attention. Some abused m...
TL;DR: Crampton et al. as discussed by the authors discussed the use of family meetings and other strategies to increase community involvement in child protection work, and found that family meetings can be useful for children.
Abstract: David Crampton is an assistant professor of social work at Case Western Reserve University, Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences. His research concerns the use of family meetings and other strategies to increase community involvement in child protection work.Address: Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences,Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue,Cleveland,OH 44106–7164, USA. [email: david.crampton@case.edu]
TL;DR: The authors describes the transition to narrative inquiry in the course of research on out-of-hours social work practice undertaken by the writer, and some of the specific points that Fraser makes are related to interviews with out of hours practitioners and practitioner/ managers.
Abstract: This response to Heather Fraser's recent article describes the transition to narrative inquiry in the course of research on out of hours social work practice undertaken by the writer. Some of the specific points that Fraser makes are related to interviews with out of hours practitioners and practitioner/ managers.
TL;DR: The role of formal and informal help for runaway and homeless youth is discussed in this paper. But the authors do not discuss the role of social workers in these settings. And they do not address the role and role of the social worker in the prevention of runaway youth.
Abstract: Cwayna, K. (1993) Knowing where the Fountains are: Stories and Stark Realities of Homeless Youth. Minneapolis, MI: Deaconess Press. Finley, S. and Finley, M. (1999) ‘Sp’ange: A Research Story’, Qualitative Inquiry 5(3): 313–37. Hagan, J. and McCarthy, B. (1997) Mean Streets:Youth Crime and Homelessness. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Kurtz, P. D., Lindsey, E. W., Jarvis, S. and Nackerud, L. (2000) ‘How Runaway and Homeless Youth Navigate Troubled Waters: The Role of Formal and Informal Helpers’, Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal 17(5): 381–402. Lindsey, E. W., Kurtz, P. D., Jarvis, S., Williams, N. R. and Nackerud, L. (2000) ‘How Runaway and Homeless Youth Navigate Troubled Waters: Personal Strengths and Resources’, Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal 17(2): 115–40. Lundy, K. (1995) Sidewalks Talk: A Naturalistic Study of Street Kids. New York: Garland Publishers. Staller, K. M. (2003) ‘Constructing the Runaway Youth Problem: Boy Adventurers to Girl Prostitutes, 1960–1978’, Journal of Communication 53(2): 330–46. Ungar, M. (2004) Nurturing Hidden Resilience in Troubled Youth. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Whitbeck, L. B. and Hoyt, D. R. (1999) Nowhere to Grow: Homeless and Runaway Adolescents and their Families. New York: Aldine de Gruyter.