Social Work Concepts: Anti-oppressive practice
Contents
- Introduction
- The anti-oppressive model
- Nature
- Conclusion
Introduction
Anti-oppressive practice is an interdisciplinary approach to ending socioeconomic oppression that is primarily rooted in the practice of social work. It necessitates the practitioner critically examine the power imbalance inherent in an organizational structure in the larger socio-cultural and political context to develop strategies for creating an egalitarian environment free of oppression, racism, and other forms of discrimination in larger society through legal and political engagement. In general, community practice is concerned with responding to oppression perpetrated by dominant groups and individuals. It regulates any potentially oppressive practices in social services and aids in the delivery of welfare services in an inclusive manner.
The goal of anti-oppressive practice is to reduce the exclusion of certain social groups from social equality, rights, and justice. Social work is widely recognised as a "caring" profession, but services that work for one person may not work for another or reflect the sensitivity required to work for another. There may be a 'care versus control' issue here, because where there is care, there is a responsibility, and thus control and power, which can lead to exclusions (Humphries, 2004, p105). Knowingly and deliberately causing discrimination against another constitutes an oppressive practice; behavior is just as important as intent. The onus is on the social worker to demonstrate that s/he exercised due diligence by generally accepted practices and conducts himself/herself in a manner generally accepted by society as neutral/ordinary "humanity."
An imbalance in in-service care and control may result in oppression. Oppression is defined by Lena Dominelli (2002) as, "Relationships that separate people into dominant or superior and subordinate or inferior groups. These dominance relationships are characterised by the systematic devaluation of the attributes and contributions of those deemed inferior, as well as their exclusion from the social resources available to those in the dominant group ".. Exclusion (for example, xenophobia) as a result of oppression or vice versa can have a significant impact on an individual or a system. This frequently results from an evaluative process in which the individual ends up measuring himself/herself in a hierarchy against the other based on personal values. As a result of this, one's identity or trait is regarded as superior to the other, resulting in an "us-them" dynamic (othering process) that causes division and increases the risk of oppression.
The anti-oppressive model
The anti-oppressive model in social work aims to function and promote equal, non-oppressive social relations between various identities. According to Dominelli (2002), "anti-oppressive practice seeks to subvert the stability of universalized biological representations of social division to both validate diversity and enhance solidarity based on celebrating difference amongst peoples" (p. 39). It remains committed to social justice principles, which are also reflected in BASW values, by acknowledging diversity within oppression and taking into account the intersection and hierarchies of the "isms" that construct people as victims or perpetrators. The anti-oppressive model examines and advocates against macro and micro levels of oppression, focusing on social justice and social change along more empowering and liberatory lines.
The complex and unequal roles of "power" and "isms" are regarded as a significant complication in antioppressive practice. Those with the most power, as in most relationships, benefit the most. Thompson contends that there are three types of barriers to anti-oppressive practice. Personal (P), cultural (C), and structural (S) are the three types (S). Personal and prejudice factors are referred to as P. C stands for culture, commonalities, agreement, and conformity. S stands for structural aspects such as sociopolitical power or other social dimensions. Thompson describes P as being embedded in C and C as being embedded in S, with the two interacting in a continuum. AntiOppressive Practice seeks to identify strategies for constructing power in a way that addresses systemic inequalities at the individual, group, and institutional levels, rather than producing and reproducing oppression.
Personal / Individual Oppression: Personal / Individual Oppression refers to individuals' values, beliefs, and feelings that affect interpersonal relationships. Anti-oppression, according to Dominelli (2002, p. 6), is "a methodology focusing on both process and outcome, as well as a way of structuring relationships between individuals that aim to empower users by reducing the negative effects of hierarchy in their immediate interaction and the work they do together."
Cultural Oppression: Language contributes to oppression in general; language, through its marking function, constructs social structure and plays a role in the formation of cultural values. People who are neither white nor male are classified as ethnic in government records, assuming white people do not have an ethnicity but are the norm, and white people are frequently "de-raced" in discourses.
Structural / Institutional Oppression: Humphries stated in 2004 that a failure to critically analyse legislation and social policy resulted in a "failure to identify the inherent racism within immigration" systems.
In community practices, anti-oppressive practice addresses problems that arise as a result of structural imbalance; Herbert Marcuse defined the state as "Law and order are always and everywhere the law and order which protect the established hierarchy; it is nonsensical to invoke the absolute authority of this law and this order against those who suffer from it and struggle against it."
Professional practitioners are aware of the power (im)balance that exists between service users and providers, which is reflected in practice; however, the goal is always to legitimately use these differences to empower others and reduce the experience of powerlessness and the resulting learned helplessness, or the "culture of silence." Lois McNay commented on this power (im)balance in 1992 as follows: "Oppressions have always dominated how we live our lives; they are central to the economy's profit base. Gender, race, and class are the three most important ".. McNay gives the example of exploitative division of labour.
Social work solutions to oppressed groups' problems must include policies that address all aspects of oppression. However, social workers must be aware that these efforts may not be supported by partners in the social justice process.
Nature
Through anti-oppressive practice, social work practice focuses on a more emancipatory form of practice that situates individuals and families within their social contexts and assists them in dealing with societal structural patterns that perpetuate inequalities through the promotion of choices.
Practitioners may use jargon, abbreviations, and legal terms when discussing things with service users, which may create unnecessary barriers by reinforcing power differences between the service user and the practitioner. Speaking plainly and clearly is considered good working practice, as it allows the client to not only understand but also participate in making choices and decisions regarding their involvement with social services. More specifically, anti-oppression addresses people's negative experiences based on their race, gender identity, sexual identity, physical and mental ability, religion, class background (whether growing up poor, working poor, working, middle, or upper class), physical appearance (fat or thin), and so on. It's also a way to question how people are treated based on their identities. For example, when a woman is treated sexistally or a person of colour is subjected to racism. Working with the service user to include them in the facilitation of a user-led and user-controlled service is an example of anti-oppressive practice. Healthy professional relationships will help to build the service user's confidence, allowing them to develop their own ideas about their level of involvement.
Anti-oppressive practice is a component of the professional development schema for social workers. This is what binds them together to develop a counter-hegemonic understanding of cross-cultural and personal differences. Social workers fight oppression by promoting greater respect for the "innate dignity and worth of all people" and "social justice" (NASW, 1996). Recognizing NASW values, as well as the "importance of human relationships," remains an essential part of developing empowering client-practitioner relationships (NASW, 1996).
Conclusion
Anti-oppressive practice is a current form of progressive social work that assists in identifying and acting on psychosocial issues through an intersectional lens. It bridges the gap between practice and activism and leads society in a transformative direction in human relations. Its reformative call has opened the eyes of both public and leading private management regimes, and the principles resonate in the effective and harmonious utilisation of resources. Anti-oppressive practice does not contradict the established and traditional 1970s AntiDiscriminatory Practice (ADP), which focuses on discrimination (e.g., towards an anti-racist perspective), whereas anti-oppressive practice deals with processes of oppression and exclusion.
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