Social work as a science, a form of practical activity, professional activity and academic discipline. Relationships of social work with other social and humanitarian disciplines Social work theory and social sciences
Social work as a science is a sphere of human activity, the function of which is to develop and theoretically systematize objective knowledge about a certain reality - the social sphere and specific social activity. social activities can be defined as the professional and social activities of various organizations (state, public and private), professionals and activists, aimed at solving the problems of social actors (individuals, families, groups and strata). Analysis of existing forms and methods of social work, development of optimal methods and technologies for solving social problems of these objects is one of the most important tasks of social work as a scientific discipline.
Each science is a fusion of theoretical and empirical knowledge, theory, methods and techniques (techniques). The peculiarity of social work as a scientific discipline lies in the unity of knowledge and skills. This is her founding principle. Without such unity, there is no science; without such unity, a social worker cannot take place as a specialist in this area, which is most important for people's lives.
Regularities, principles and methods are integral components of every science. In the specialized literature patterns social work is proposed to be divided into two groups: 1) patterns of functioning and development of the subject of social work; 2) regularities that reflect the essential links between the subject and the object of social activity.
Asprinciples theories of social work can be called:
General philosophical principles: determinism, reflection, development.
General principles of the social sciences: historicism, social conditioning, social significance.
Specific principles of social work (observance of confidentiality in work; continuity of all types and forms of social services; targeting; priority of assistance to citizens in a situation that threatens their health or life; preventive orientation; promotion of social rehabilitation and adaptation, etc.).
The substantive principles of social work are humanism, justice, altruism, harmonization of public, group and personal interests, self-sufficiency. Psychological and pedagogical principles - modality, empathy (sympathy), attraction (attractiveness), trust. Methodological principles – differentiated approach, continuity, consistency, continuity, competence. Organizational principles - universality, complexity, mediation, solidarity, subsidarity (assistance).
Methods - these are methods, a set of techniques and operations in social work; ways to achieve a goal, solve a specific problem.
Many methods used in social work are interdisciplinary, which is predetermined by the universal nature of social work as an activity. Therefore, characterizing the methods of social work, they are divided into economic, legal, political, socio-psychological, medical and social, administrative and managerial, etc. 1.2. Socionomy. Under sociometry we will understand the branch of socio-psychological and sociological research of interpersonal relations in small groups, carried out using quantitative methods. There are two main structures that need to be studied: at the sociological level - the macro-sociological structure, at the socio-psychological level - the micro-sociological structure. If at the first level all the main social problems of society are analyzed and considered, then at the second level - interpersonal relations in small groups. The sociologist has built a system of sciences and methods that should study both levels of structures and resolve the problems that arise. These are: socionomy - the science of the basic social laws, sociodynamics - the science of the processes occurring in small groups, sociometry - a system of methods for identifying and quantifying interpersonal, emotional relationships of people in small groups, sociology - a system of methods for curing people who have difficulty in behavior in small groups. The last two systems are of an applied nature and are based on theoretical ideas about social groups, which constituted the main subject field of empirical research in the 1930s and 1940s. Socionomy explores and explains the laws that govern social development and social relations. Within the framework of the system of socionomy, the metaphorical concepts of "we", "mass", "community", "community", as well as the concepts of "class", "state", "church" and many other collectives and partnerships still take place. Sociometric research must give a precise and dynamic meaning to these concepts, which embrace the truth only approximately. . socionomy- the science of basic social laws. 1.3Problems of scientific identification of social work. The science- systemic theoretical knowledge about objective reality. Social work theory- generalized, systemic knowledge about the subject, patterns and principles of social work. The theory of social work reveals and explores the essential, objective, necessary connections and phenomena inherent in specific social processes and determining the effectiveness of psychological, pedagogical and managerial influence on the state and behavior of an individual, social group or community. One of the most important tasks of social work as a field of scientific knowledge M. V. Firsov sees in the scientific substantiation of social institutions capable of ensuring the security and development of a person, the activation of his life, the optimal strategies for life in dynamically changing socio-economic conditions. At the same time, this scientist believes that this effect is achieved by harmonizing personal and social resources, optimizing the consequences of the free market, and developing conditions for the social functioning of the individual and society as a whole. M.V. Firsov believes what problem field social work includes: - identifying the patterns of human life strategies in conditions of maladaptation, deviation, crises and cataclysms; - developing the history, theory, methodology of social work as a field of scientific knowledge about a person and the practice of assistance and support in various difficult life situations; - developing a theory of social work as a paradigm that describes and explains difficult life situations of a person, institutional ties and social relations in terms of well-being; - substantiation of the theory and methods for assessing the state of the human environment, lifestyle, level of resource provision for individual development and well-being; - development of theories, methods and means of assessment level of individual development, recovery, stabilization. "Regularity" - the most essential, necessary, stable, recurring connection of all parties and components of social phenomena, processes and systems. Z regularities of SR - significant, stable and recurring connections that manifest themselves in the interaction of the subject and object of social work, determining the nature and direction of its influence on the development of specific social phenomena, processes, relations. The main laws of social work: the relationship of social processes in society, social policy and social work; the conditionality of the content, forms and methods of social work by the specific circumstances of the life of various groups, communities, individuals; solution of social problems through personal needs and interests of clients; dependence of the effectiveness of social work on the professionalism and moral qualities of specialists, the possibilities of the social system of the state and society . 1.4. The main characteristics of social work as a field of scientific knowledge: interdisciplinarity, integrativity, specificity of the conceptual field. Social work as a science consists of two main sections: theoretical and methodological, fundamental (methodology, laws, categorical apparatus of science) and applied - the field of socio-practical, managerial application of theoretical and empirical knowledge, scientific support for solving practical social problems in society, which is intended to be decided by the social worker. His practical activity is very multifaceted: at the lower levels of the organization of society (family, microdistrict, labor collective) it is the regulation of interpersonal and group relations, the organization of social services for the population, the correction of deviant behavior, the prevention and localization of conflicts, social education and counseling, psychoprophylaxis, etc. .; at the level of functioning of regional and municipal structures, the social worker, in addition, solves the problems of employment and migration, is engaged in the implementation of social engineering design, major innovative measures in the field of production and management.
By its nature, social work, whose immanent characteristic is integrativity, cannot be based on any one theory or model of practice. Various forms of social work, as it were, permeate all theories, represent complex constructions of various models of the practice of social work.
The balance of all components of a particular type of social activity, the degree of their spread to other areas of social practice, their importance for all subjects of this activity - these are the criteria for the conditions by which any theory used in practice is tested. In particular, if the explanations contained in a certain theory help us understand certain combinations of circumstances that cause certain social problems, then this theory is adequate for this form of social work practice *.
The theory is effective if it defines specific areas of activity for the provision of social assistance to a person in the field of his social rights and guarantees.
At the same time, these areas consist of certain components of social work as a professional activity and are implemented through various forms and means, depending on the social situation. Thus, the content of the theory of social work and its main directions as a professional activity are determined by social practice. In the absence of such an impact, the theory used is not effective.
Determining the place of the theory of social work in the system of other sciences to a large extent depends on the content of its category, the features of its methods, the research of the problems that make up its main content. This once again emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature.
In the process of cognition of the theory of social work as an integral system of scientific knowledge, as an applied science, the interrelations and characteristics of its components do not appear immediately, but gradually, as they penetrate into their nature, essence. By accumulating knowledge about some aspects of social work, the scientific system creates favorable conditions for learning about other aspects and deeper insight into the essence of the subject of study as a whole. At the same time, it is important to use the arsenal of scientific knowledge tools in a complex: observation and experiment, description and theoretical explanation, justification and logical evidence, comparison and analogy, generalization and abstraction, induction and deduction, analysis and synthesis, hypothesis and scientific theory as a whole. This ensures the complex nature of social work.
So, the formation and development of social work as an independent science takes place in the conditions of constant discussions on its main methodological problems. And simultaneously with the development of the methodology of social work as a scientific theory, there is a comprehension and identification of methodological principles for the use of phenomena (factors, processes) of social practice, their methodological and ideological knowledge of social work as a specific area of social knowledge.
Summarizing what has been said, we can draw the following conclusion. To help each person to live and act in accordance with his social nature - such is the practical goal of social work, which also determines its theoretical basis as a science of man, ways to improve his social well-being. It is this approach that excludes the reduction of the tasks of social work from the point of view of theory only to the justification of the need for social assistance and social protection of the population.
It should be emphasized that the theory of social work has all the structural features of science: the subject of study, the object of study, the patterns inherent in the subject of study, certain concepts, categories, principles and methods of activity. However, the theory of social work belongs to applied science.
There are two approaches to assessing the scientific status of social work as a scientific discipline in Russia.
1. Proponents of the first approach proceed from the fact that the theoretical basis of social work is made up of several complex sciences about man and society - these are social philosophy, anthropology, sociology, medicine, law, psychology, ethics, etc.
2. Proponents of the second approach prove the independence of social work as a scientific discipline, highlighting within it the theoretical and applied aspects.
Social work as a science reveals and investigates the essential, necessary connections and phenomena inherent in social processes and the social development of society and determining the nature of the economic, psychological, pedagogical and managerial impact on the development and behavior of the individual.
Social work occupies a special place among such social sciences as philosophy, history, political science, jurisprudence, economics, and tends to psychology, sociology and medicine.
The general theoretical position of social philosophy is the methodological basis for solving more specific issues of social work at the scientific level, as a science about a person and his social relations. Improving the social well-being of a person, improving the conditions of his life, ensuring a decent social existence are the main practical tasks of social work and determine its scientific content.
Social work is related to sociology, knowledge in the field of sociology allows a social worker to explore social problems. For example, using the method of interviewing in social work helps to talk with a person, help him open up, feel safe. Psychology is also closely related to social work, helping to determine the factors that influence the psyche and behavior.
Social work is related to social ecology. It defines patterns of relationships between organizations and their environment. It requires knowledge of biology, the influence of genetics on the human body.
Social work training programs include in-depth medical training. For example, occupational therapy is the acquisition of knowledge in the field of medicine to work with people with disabilities.
14. The role of sociology in the organization of social work
Social work interacts with the sociology of the family: the activities of the sociology of the family allow solving the problems of social work related to the examination of the client's marital status, as well as the social status, material and social status of different families. Without a sociological understanding of social situations, a social worker most often cannot understand the problems that a client has, and determine ways to solve them.
No less significant is the impact on social work of the sociology of labor - a branch of sociological theory and practice that organizes the expediency of a person's activity, a social group.
Characterizing the specifics of the position and lifestyle of various professional and official groups of the population, the nature of their work activity, the sociology of labor gives the social worker the opportunity to understand the specifics of the impact on the solution of the client's problems of his professional and working environment, the characteristic features of workers of various profiles, their level of security as a result of work on specific workplace.
It is important that the sociology of labor focuses on occupational diseases, stereotypes of thinking, traditional types of behavior of representatives of various socio-professional groups. This allows the social worker to use all approaches to solving client problems, develop a strategy for organizing social assistance to those in need, and also influence the social policy of firms, government authorities, and public organizations. The sociology of labor explores the problems of employment, unemployment, social protection of an employee in a work collective. The social worker solves the same problems.
The sociology of spiritual life has an increasing influence on social work. The sociology of spiritual life provides specialists in social work with data on the behavior, position, social orientations of representatives of various sociocultural groups, communities of people divided according to spiritual-ideological, moral-ethical, artistic-aesthetic and other orientations.
Theory of social work in the system of social and social sciences Plan Stages of development of the theory of social work. Psychological foundations social work Pedagogy and social work. Philosophy and social work. Stages of development of the theory of social work.
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Lecture 3. Theory of social work in the system of public
And social sciences
Plan
- Stages of development of the theory of social work.
- Psychological foundations of social work
- Pedagogy and social work.
- Sociology and social work.
- Philosophy and social work.
1. Stages of development of the theory of social work.
As a field of scientific knowledge, social work goes through a number of stages in its development.
1 stage: Ideas about the processes of helping and supporting those in need are formalized as the concept of mercy in the traditional religious doctrine. The essence of this concept is poverty and beggary social necessity. However, the development of society shows that these phenomena and processes are determined by real economic, social and political factors.
2 stage: Pre-paradigm social workas a field of scientific knowledge (X1X century)
The issues of poverty of pauperism (begging) are beginning to be actively developed in various branches of knowledge:
in sociology (early socio-political, reformist and legal doctrines of E. Munstenberg, G. Spencer, A. Wagner, etc.);
in law (legal concept of A. Prince)
in economic sciences.
A feature of this stage in the development of the theory of social work is that it develops not only at the level of deductive and inductive reasoning, but in the practice of supporting and helping those in need, methods of sociological research begin to be actively used. They made it possible to obtain a more reliable picture of such a phenomenon and process as begging.
In the XIX Art. sociology becomes the basis for developing the theory of social work.
- stage. Paradigm social work (XX century)
Includes two stages.Stage 1: 1st half of the XX century.The main problems in practical social work are the problems of social pathology. In order to effectively solve them, practical social work begins to actively interact with:empirical psychology (first of all, such psychological theories like behaviorism, psychoanalysis);empirical sociology (sociological research methods are used, especially the method of sociometry for the study of small groups); pedagogy;
psychiatry. The use in social work of methods, techniques and techniques from other branches of scientific knowledge contributed to a more serious theoretical understanding and theoretical development of social work as an interdisciplinary science. This was also encouraged by the development of professional social work.
Stage 2. Second half of the XX century.The interaction of social work with various scientific disciplines made it possible to more fully and adequately explain and describe the social problems of society, the client; social situations of the client; identify and explain the causes leading to disruption in the social functioning of an individual, group, community.
In the formation of knowledge of social work (i.e., the development of the theory of social work), such sciences as sociology began to play a huge role; psychology; philosophy; pedagogy; psychiatry; economic and political sciences.
Each of these disciplines provides an opportunity to more objectively comprehend the social problems and problems of the client; develop effective models and concepts of social work.
2. Psychological foundations of social work
Many approaches to social work are based on certain psychological concepts and theories. Therefore, psychology occupies an important place in the training of a social work specialist, and also underlies the socio-pedagogical methods of influence in social work.
There are a number of functions that psychology performs in social work:
theoretical - allows you to establish links between goals,
content, means and ways of solving the problems of social work, on the one hand, and individual, collectively psychological phenomena, processes, on the other hand. Based on certain psychological theories, social work has the ability to adequately assess the client's problem, identify its causes, outline a strategy and plans for the necessary intervention in the situation.
Methodological -for the study of social -
pedagogical processes and phenomena social work is based on certain psychological theories and concepts.
Explanatory -allows you to explain the behavior, actions
person, group in a particular social situation; describe and explain risky, deviant behavior; the inner essence of the process of socialization of the individual; the client's reaction to intervention in the situation, etc.
Diagnostic -makes it possible, using methods
psychodiagnostics, to carry out diagnostics of the personality, its social qualities, diagnostics of groups and their development.
predictive helps set perspective
personal formations, based on which it is possible to solve the problems of social development of the individual, raising people to the level of social assistance.
Considering the relationship between social work and psychology, the following should be noted:
1. The object of social work are persons who are in an altered state of mind (but within the limits of the norm), where the leading role belongs to the psychological component. The special relationship between psychology and social work is that both sciences have a common object of influence - a person who, as you know, is not only an object of social relations, but also a subject.
2. An important problem for a person is to satisfy the need for self-realization, self-determination. Often this is hindered by the lack of self-improvement, self-defense.
Based on a psychosocial approach that recognizes the integrity"man-in-situation"social workers realize that helping a person is not situational, but successful most often when the potential of the individual himself and his ability to grow, change, self-development under certain conditions and resources are highly appreciated. Assistance implies at the same time: the creation of the conditions necessary for the full life of the individual and the manifestation of social subjectivity; activation of all internal resources of a person, which will allow him to overcome a difficult situation for his life at this particular moment and form a positive personal experience for him. All this makes it necessary to synthesize the social and psychological at all levels: in formulating the goals and objectives of social assistance, in the focus of consideration and study of the object of influence, in the use of professional means of interaction with it.
3. The importance of psychological knowledge in social work is also determined by the need for preventive work: with adolescents and young people who are characterized by antisocial behavior; suicidal people; persons prone to frequent “crisis mental states”, etc. In all these cases, social support has mainly the character of individual psychosocial work.
In order to effectively interact with the object of social work, correctly make a socio-psychological diagnosis and, accordingly, determine the purpose and possibilities of interaction with a particular individual, a social work specialist must have an understanding of the client sufficient for this particular professional situation, including: -sexual and individual-typical properties; individual psychological characteristics; his needs, which act as the driving force behind the behavior and life of the client; the motivation of his personality, which explains exactly the behavior that he implements in this particular life period; his interests, abilities; features of self-consciousness and orientation of the personality.
Therefore, a social work specialist needs a certain level of psychological literacy to effectively perform their professional tasks. This is due to the fact that the social worker must:
be able to cooperate with other specialists: psychologists, psychotherapists;
be able to differentiate social problems and problems of a psychological nature, and even psychiatric problems;
be able to provide primary socio-psychological assistance and support to the client;
possess the principles and skills of psychologically correct communication with people.
The psychological literacy of a social work specialist will be determined by the presence ofsystems of psychological knowledge and skills to apply this knowledge in their professional activities.System of psychological knowledge, includes:
psychological knowledge about a person ( general psychology, psychology of Personality); knowledge of the psychology of people with peculiarities in personal development (special psychology, medical psychology, psychology of deviant behavior), etc.; knowledge of personality theory, group theory; theories of the psychology of communication (possession of the skills of interaction and influence on a person in need of help; skills and abilities of communication; ways of influencing him, etc.); theories of social conflict (to know the functions, concepts, stages, conditions and methods of resolving social conflicts); psychoanalytic concepts, the concept of humanistic psychology (K.Rogers, V.Frankl, A.Maslow (the concept of the hierarchy of needs), etc.); knowledge in the field of social psychology and Gestalt psychology, etc.; knowledge psychological methods such as: methods of psychodiagnostics, psychological counseling; socio-psychological trainings, psychodrama, methods of correction P behavior, communication, self-esteem, etc.
The key to successful interaction between a social work specialist and a client in solving professional problems is the presence of a specialist in psychological personal qualities, which are a determining factor in his suitability for practical activities. The personal qualities of a social worker can be conditionally divided into three groups (E.I. Kholostova, P.D. Pavlenok). The first group includes psychophysiological characteristics, on which the ability to this type of activity depends. They reflect mental processes (memory, perception, imagination, thinking), mental states (apathy, fatigue, anxiety, stress, depression), attention as a state of consciousness, emotional and volitional manifestations (restraint, indifference, perseverance, impulsiveness).
The second group of personality traits includes psychological qualities: self-control, self-criticism, self-esteem, as well as stress-resistant qualities - physical fitness, the ability to switch and manage your emotions, self-suggestion.
The third group of personal qualities of a social worker includes psychological and pedagogical qualities, on which the effect of personal charm depends: sociability, empathy, attractiveness, eloquence.
3. Pedagogy and social work.
Having emerged as a practice of preparing children for adulthood, now pedagogy acts as a complex-integrative field of knowledge and activity, the object of which is the whole society as a whole and the individual throughout all stages of his age existence. Pedagogy is increasingly viewed as a means of social design and the creation of a new type of society, its individual areas with the help of appropriate teaching and educational activities to form new images of knowledge, thinking and feelings, forms of individual and social behavior.resocialization of a person, the result of which is the acquisition by an individual of an orientation and a standard of behavior (beliefs, values, corresponding feelings and actions).
In social work, pedagogy acts as the core of the activity component of social work. So, with the help of pedagogy, more precisely, pedagogical means, methods, techniques, tasks : teaching social work, i.e. training of specialists; formation of a system for future social work specialists professional knowledge, skills and abilities. This is didactic function of pedagogy. In addition, pedagogy, like psychology, performs explanatory and predictive functions.
The pedagogical element of social work is the formation of social actions, skills and abilities in the client; taking self-help. In solving this problem, social work is based on didactic principles; teaching methods and techniques; pedagogical teaching aids.
Social work should activate a person's desire for self-education and self-development. In this case, one should rely on approaches to considering the essence of self-education both in psychology and pedagogy.
The pedagogical content of social work is determined by the correction of behavior and the re-education of people. Here knowledge from the field of correctional pedagogy can be involved.
Methods of social work are also integrative in nature. To achieve the set professional goals, a social worker can resort to such pedagogical methods as:
methods of formation of consciousness (story, conversation, lecture, etc.);
methods of organizing activities and forming the experience of positive behavior (exercises, educational situation, etc.);
methods of encouragement and stimulation (punishment, encouragement, competition).
Pedagogical knowledge in demand in the field of social work and social assistance to such clients as: family (knowledge of the basics of family pedagogy); children (knowledge of age and individual characteristics child; knowledge of the basics of socialization of the individual, its pedagogical aspects; knowledge of the theory of the children's team, etc.); elderly people; disabled people; convicts and other categories of the population.
Pedagogical knowledge plays an important role in the formation professional excellence specialist.
Social pedagogy plays a special role in social work as part of general pedagogy. Social pedagogy is the science of the educational influence of the environment on social education and social development of the individual. Social work, solving the problems of the client, takes into account not only his individual psychological characteristics, but also his social environment, i.e. social environment.
A special place in social work is occupied by the problems of educational work with individuals and groups of individuals whose socialization is impaired and they need pedagogical assistance. Such individuals are mainly in the care of the institutions of the social protection system. In this regard, a problem arises that has theoretical and practical significance: the reasonable interaction of social work and social pedagogy.
A social work specialist must also be prepared in a socio-pedagogical sense: this kind of knowledge, skills and abilities are a necessary component that ensures his professional viability. He should not miss the pedagogical aspects of his activities, do not forget about the use pedagogical means to solve social problems. It is important for a social work specialist to learn how to give a pedagogical assessment of the processes taking place in his field and to foresee the social consequences of pedagogical technologies, in other words, to master the basics of socio-pedagogical activity.
Pedagogical knowledge becomes part of the general professional culture and professional competence of the social worker.
4. Sociology and social work.
Sociology - the science of social relations, mechanisms and patterns of functioning and development of social communities of various kinds: society as an integral organism, social and other communities differentiated on various grounds. The term sociology was introduced into scientific circulation in 1830 by Auguste Comte.
Since sociology studies society, the behavior and beliefs of specific groups (families, children, men, women, youth, persons of deviant behavior, the elderly, etc.), it is the basis for the development of theoretical knowledge in the field of social work.
Three main sociological paradigms dominate the process of creating social work theory:
Interactionism (interactionism - coordination, interaction). This paradigm sees social life as a process of interaction between individuals.
Functionalism focuses on the constitutional structure of social life: what are the components of society and how do they relate to each other. Functionalism allows the variety of client cases to be reduced to theories associated with the behavioral or psychoanalytic tradition.
conflict paradigm. Describes social life as a struggle between competing individuals.
Each of these sociological trends plays its own special role in creating social work theories
Knowledge in the field of sociology allows a social work specialist to: explore social problems (sociological research methods are used: polling, interviewing, sociometry, observation, etc.); master interpersonal skills and techniques; navigate in society, i.e. help to understand what a particular society is and those groups that are poorly socially protected, to understand what factors affect the social functioning of an individual, group, community; gain knowledge about the social structure of society, its social infrastructure, about the characteristics of society at a particular stage of its development; gain knowledge about the methods of carrying out sociological research and methods of collecting primary information; about the social environment in which a person lives and in which he intends to carry out his activities; about the main social processes and their interrelation.
The following areas of influence of sociology on social work can be distinguished:
the results of the study by sociologists of the social structure of society and other fundamental problems of sociological knowledge (the sociology of the family, the sociology of youth, the sociology of labor, etc.) are used in practical activities, the organization of labor, social protection institutions;
Sociological knowledge is widely used in the training and retraining of specialists in the field of social work;
Analysis of social work from the point of view of the participation of various groups of social workers in it (there is a section “sociology of social work” in sociology today).
In addition, in the development of theoretical problems of social work and in practical social work, such sections of sociology as:
1.Sociology of conflict, ethnosociology, systemic sociology.
2. Sociology of the family. The influence of the sociology of the family on the effectiveness of social work lies in the fact that it helps to more accurately examine the client's marital status, as well as the social status, material support of different families and groups; identify factors that complicate the functioning of the modern family.
3.Sociology of management, personnel management. This area
sociological knowledge is the basis for the development of those models of social work that are united by structural social work, focused on the organization of social protection by collective means. The influence of this area of sociology on social work is expressed in the existence of various sociologically oriented theories and technologies of helping those in need. Such a section of sociology as personnel management is directly related to the activities of various institutions of social protection and social services for the population.
4. Sociology of labor (considers the way of life, position
various professional groups of the population, which allows us to understand the specifics of the impact on the solution of the client's problems of his professional and working environment; problems of unemployment, employment of the population).
5. Sociology of the spiritual life of society (knowledge about the features
Behavior, social and value orientations of representatives of various groups of the population).
6.Sociology of the third sector (public, charitable organizations).
Sociological understanding of social work is an essential condition for its development as a type of practical activity and a field of scientific knowledge.
5. Philosophy and social work.
Philosophy (the philosophical disciplines include logic, aesthetics, ethics, philosophical anthropology, social philosophy, etc.) consider questions of the essence of man, his life, death, happiness and suffering, as well as questions of spatio-temporal certainty of being.
Philosophy is the methodological basis of social work, as it defines the general principles and approaches to understanding certain problems facing a person. As a science of the universal laws of the development of nature, philosophy of society develops a generalized system of views on the world as a whole and on the place of man in it. It explores cognitive values, socio-political, moral and aesthetic attitude of a person to the world. Thus, philosophy determines the approaches in relation to the person of other people; his attitude to them and to himself, to his existence, forms of life and protection.
Philosophy in social work performs the function of integration, synthesis of knowledge about a person; clarifies the foundations and meaning of the existential situation of choice, human existence; defines, offers systems of values, normative systems, considers questions of morality; tries to overcome the flaw of an abstract person, to consider it in a specific cultural-historical and temporal (temporal) context
Social work, the activity of a social worker is connected with a person, his relationship with the outside world, i.e. aimed at improving human relations. It is not possible to solve this problem without the specialist having a system of philosophical knowledge. A specialist in social work in the field of philosophy needs to have an idea of the place and role of philosophy in human life; about the specifics of various philosophical systems in their relationship with the socio-cultural parameters of society; about the role of philosophical knowledge in solving global problems humanity; about the leading representatives of the history of philosophy.
Social work is also linked tosocial ecology. Its dual focus on both man and the environment, and even more broadly, man and nature, determines its ecological essence. It allows you to define patterns of relationships between organisms and their environment. This requires knowledge not only of sociology and psychology, but also of biology, which helps to understand how the human body functions, including reproductive processes and the influence of genetics on conduction and perception.
Related to social work is and psychiatry, which studies the inner development of a person, tries to find out what makes individuals think, feel and behave the way they do.
Many social work training programs require a fairly thoroughmedical training. One of the goals of social protection is to preserve and improve the health of the population. In many ways, this is the goal and the health care system. Among the forms of social work, medical and social services are also provided, which require a specialist in social work, a social worker to have a certain system of medical knowledge. For example, the profession of an occupational therapist (a specialist working directly with the disabled) that has developed in the West provides for the acquisition of knowledge in the field of medicine and rehabilitation counseling.
Another related discipline necessary for obtaining the profession of a social worker is jurisprudence . Without knowledge of legislative acts, the foundation of theoretical and practical aspects of family and criminal law, pension provision, etc. it is difficult to give advice to the client, to help him in solving his life problems to defend his interests.
Social work is intertwined with political science , which as a subject of study has political relations and processes that directly affect the problems of social work. Social work is an important mechanism for implementing the social policy of the state.
The above and other disciplines related to social work are necessary for the formation of a highly qualified specialist in social work. One should keep in mind the fundamental importance for social work of the unity of theory and practice. The system of scientific knowledge, as already noted, can be conditionally divided depending on the orientation in solving problems into fundamental and applied. Social work belongs to the group of applied sciences.
The initial basis for the collection and analysis of empirical material of diverse content for various observations, studies of specific social processes and phenomena, facts of social life is practice. It allows you to accumulate the experience of social work in the form of its comprehension and theoretical generalization, i.e. in the form of a system of scientific knowledge.
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| 17388. | Social work theory | 27.7KB | |
| In the Soviet period, as an analysis of the bibliography shows, there was an actual ban on covering issues of charity for scientific literature. Poverty is the result of special social relations in a capitalist society and the expression of their contradictions. | |||
| 5895. | The theory of social work as a science and educational | 16.56KB | |
| Social work theory as a science and academic discipline. The concept of the theory of social work: its subject and object. Functions of the theory of social work. The development of a specialty and professional activity of social work, new for our society, makes its theoretical comprehension particularly relevant. | |||
| 17513. | Technologies of social work with families in the system of social services | 93.1KB | |
| Unemployment, rising prices for food and utilities hit the family first of all, caused deprivation of children and adolescents, homelessness, alcoholism, drug addiction and psychological conflicts. | |||
| 15792. | TECHNOLOGY FOR FORMING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE IN THE SYSTEM OF SOCIAL WORK | 153.37KB | |
| Theoretical basis formation healthy lifestyle life as a target parameter of social work. Health and healthy lifestyle: definition of phenomena. overcoming bad habits- a necessary condition for a healthy lifestyle. | |||
| 2473. | Ethnopedagogy in the system of sciences | 11.11KB | |
| Tasks: teaching: to reveal the concept of Ethnopedagogy; to study the directions of the task of ethnopedagogical science; developing: to develop ethnic normative-behavioral mechanisms for transferring the culture of an ethnic group; educating: to educate the morality of the people's spirit of unity of all Russian people. Equipment: lecture notes printout of the scheme Ethnopedagogy in the system pedagogical sciences for each student a table on the board. Ethnopedagogy: textbook. | |||
| 16461. | Spatial economics in the system of sciences | 12.01KB | |
| Spatial economics in the system of sciences The spatial economics of sptil economics has recently been recognized as an independent field of world economic thought. The spatial economics of PE is a more integrated scientific direction compared to the traditional regional economy regionl economics; its subject is not only regions and regional systems, but also all spatial forms of economy and settlement, including many spatial networks. Achievements of the last two decades:... | |||
| 19478. | SEG in the system of sciences: its essence and content | 135.87KB | |
| Since the distribution of the population and economic activity people occurs under the influence of various, including natural factors, then the SEG uses the knowledge gained in the branches of physical geography. These questions were dominant during the development of geography as a descriptive science. This led to the selection of a number of separate areas both in physical geography and in social geography. Among the areas of social geography, population geography, political geography, geography of industry, geography ... | |||
| 10020. | Landscape science in the system of geographical sciences | 33.55KB | |
| A branch of physical geography that studies the landscape shell - natural territorial complexes (NTC) or landscape geosystems of various sizes, including the local level. Object: geosystems of different levels. Subject: Holy Islands of landscapes as natural formations and objects of nature management | |||
| 5924. | Law in the system of normative regulation of public relations | 14.67KB | |
| Social norms as regulators associated with the will and consciousness of people. The norms that really operate in people's lives cannot be unambiguously attributed to natural or social ones. So natural norms can be translated into a system of technical rules, the rules for working with technical or natural objects, become the basis for social regulation, for example, establishing a period for recognizing paternity after the death of a spouse, and social norms form the character of an object, its qualitative state. Natural norms existing in the form ... | |||
| 7277. | Category "personality" in the system of sciences. Interdisciplinary status of the problem | 100.34KB | |
| Interdisciplinary status of the problem The first difference in the cognitive situation of the study of the psychological patterns of the formation and development of personality is that in psychology there are still serious difficulties when trying to outline the scope of empirical facts related to the subject of psychological study of personality. The versatility of the phenomenology of personality, reflecting the objectively existing diversity of manifestations of a person in the history of the development of society and his own life, turns the initial question of any knowledge into a question about ... | |||
PLAN
Introduction.
general characteristics the relationship of social work with other social and humanitarian disciplines
Sociology and social work
The relationship of social work with psychology
Bibliography.
Introduction
social work science personality
Social work is open system which actively interacts with other social and humanitarian disciplines. As a science, it studies social processes and social phenomena that are directly related to the life of an individual, a particular social group or community, and the trends in their change under the influence of psychological, pedagogical, economic and managerial factors. These processes and phenomena are also studied by other sciences (sociology, psychology, social pedagogy, social policy, etc.).
The academic training of social workers involves a fundamental acquaintance with many social and humanitarian disciplines, based on an understanding of social work as an interdisciplinary field of knowledge. The practice of social work requires specialists to be able to work with teachers, psychologists, social educators, doctors, etc., to understand the basics of their activities. Together, social work, synthesizing and systematizing information on practical social activity, experience of intervention in a social situation, contributes to the development of links between theoretical knowledge and social practice, enriching other social and humanitarian disciplines.
General characteristics of the relationship of social work with other social and humanitarian disciplines
The place of social work in the structure of the social sciences and the humanities is a subject of discussion. Despite the lack of stable links between social work and sociology, social work and psychology, the question of the mutual influence of social work and social pedagogy, social work and social policy, social work and social history, social work and social ecology, social work and social medicine, etc., remains open. After all, both social sciences in general and social work in particular are constantly developing. The joint efforts of representatives of different disciplines form modern social knowledge.
According to modern German scientists, social work, which is part of the service industry, largely depends on the development of many social disciplines. This affects the training of social workers, the system of which covers a complex institutional vertical (from short courses for training leisure organizers to doctoral studies in social work), as well as horizontal subject diversity (from pedagogy to thanatology - the science of death and dying).
The connections of social work with other disciplines are mutual. On the one hand, social workers use the scientific apparatus and methods offered by various social and humanitarian disciplines. True, unlike other social sciences, social work considers social problems and the problems of a particular client both in terms of their specific features that describe various sciences, and in terms of general (integrative) properties.
After all, the implementation of social assistance involves the preliminary collection of information, its system analysis, hypotheses, and the construction of development models. Thanks to this, there is a qualitative definition of the problem in its entirety, planning by specialists together with clients of further actions that should lead to changes in the existing situation. At the same time, social workers cannot focus only on the individual, as psychologists do, or on the social environment, as sociologists do. They study the social aspects of problems and contribute to the development of a constructive (in many cases, complex) solutions. Together, the developments of social work are of interest to representatives of other specialties and disciplines, since it studies real social facts, specific practical experience. The totality of these facts is the basis for scientific analysis within the framework of various disciplines, which makes it possible to identify and scientifically comprehend the development trends of the events and processes under study.
The establishment of social work as a social institution, the development of practical models of workers' activities contributed to the emergence of new scientific areas - the sociology of social work, the psychology of social work.
Sociology and social work
Social work owes its theoretical heritage, methodology of cognition of social reality, elucidation of the effectiveness of practical efforts to sociology (lat. societas - society) - the science of society as an integral system, institutions, processes, groups and communities, the principles of their interaction, the relationship of the individual and society, patterns existing behavior of people.
For social work, sociological knowledge about the characteristics of social communities, the interaction of individuals belonging to them, socially typical personality characteristics, which are the bearer of not only individually unique features, but also inherent in a particular social stratum, ethnic group, common features, traditions, values, norms, attitudes, needs, etc..
The results of sociological research have gained considerable importance for social work with the emergence of special sociological theories, their approval as a certain independent level of sociological knowledge, and with the formation on this basis of the main branches of sociology (the sociology of law, the sociology of labor, the sociology of urban and rural areas, sociology, the sociology of the family, ethnosociology). , sociology of religion, sociology of conflict, sociology of deviant behavior, gender sociology, etc.). All this is very important in determining the strategy of social work in specific socio-historical conditions, optimizing efforts in working with specific categories of clients.
) using the results of sociological studies of the social structure of society, other fundamental problems of society in practical social work;
) the use of sociological knowledge about society, community, personality in the preparation and retraining, education of social workers;
) analysis of social work, expert evaluation of its forms and methods in terms of their significance for society, the specific environment and persons in relation to whom it is implemented.
The use of sociological knowledge in practical social work testifies to their correlation as a science and professional activity, on the one hand, and a public institution, on the other. Social workers rely on knowledge formed within the sociology of management, sociology of conflict, ethnosociology, understanding sociology, systems sociology and other branches (knowledge, recommendations, social projects). This knowledge is the basis for the development of models of structural social work (sociologically oriented models of social work) aimed at organizing social protection by collective means.
The sociology of management requires a clear definition of the subject of social work, a social worker as a specialist who occupies a certain position and performs a certain set of functions, as well as social work institutions, a group of social workers, volunteers, etc. The management process, managerial cycles, management technologies, social work planning.
In the interaction of sociology and social work, a significant role is played by such a section of sociological knowledge as the sociology of personnel management, which directly concerns the organization of work, the use of the personnel potential of various social services and social sphere management bodies.
The theoretical and practical developments of the sociology of the family significantly influence the solution of the problems of social work, the organization of the activities of practical social workers. First of all, this is manifested in diagnosing the client's marital status, social status, material support of different families and groups. Valuable for social work is the concept of social time (social history) of the family, which states that at each stage of its development, the family decides typical tasks. Without a sociological understanding of these realities, it is difficult for social workers to know and understand the problems of clients, to find and optimally use the means of solving them.
The sociology of labor enriches social work with knowledge about the position and way of life, labor activity of various professional groups of the population. This knowledge contributes to the understanding by social workers of the specifics of the client's problems, the possibilities of overcoming them through the efforts of the professional, production environment, as well as the specific characteristics of workers in various fields, the dependence of their security on the conditions and results of work at a particular workplace. Pays attention to the sociology of labor and occupational diseases, stereotypes of thinking, traditional types of behavior of representatives of various socio-professional groups. Knowing this, social workers can use the entire arsenal of their capabilities in solving client problems, optimize the strategy for organizing social assistance to vulnerable groups of the population, and influence the social policy of state bodies and non-governmental organizations. The sociology of labor also explores the problems of employment, unemployment, the optimal organization of the workplace, the social protection of an employee in a work collective, and is always of interest to social workers.
Of great practical importance for social workers is the sociology of spiritual life, which accumulates data on the behavior, position, social orientations of representatives of various social groups, communities that differ in their spiritual, ideological, moral, ethical, artistic, aesthetic, and regional orientations.
This branch of sociology, as well as the sociology of culture, together with psychology and philosophy, help social workers differentiate clients according to the types and types of their self-concept, self-image, their rights, opportunities, development prospects. Taking into account the cultural context of the client's life, his preferences in the world of cultural values is an important condition for effective assistance, especially for those who are experiencing an existential crisis (crisis of the meaning of life), inconsistency of orientations and real social status.
Social workers also have to take into account the style and lifestyle of social groups that differ in their cultural and educational level. Knowledge of the sociology of culture is especially useful in attracting representatives of cultural institutions (librarians, museum workers, artists, etc.) to social work, which help to rationally use the beneficial effects of art in the social rehabilitation of individuals, groups, communities.
The sociology of social work and the sociology of the “third sector” (non-governmental organizations) reveal and comprehend the features of the activities of various groups of social workers, activists of non-governmental organizations involved in social protection, social services and institutions, which contributes to the optimization of organizational, technological aspects of professional and voluntary social work. They monitor the development of social work as an activity and a public institution, take care of the integrity, versatility of scientific support and organization of social work.
The opportunities of social research are often used by specialists in the social sphere, receiving valuable information about the effectiveness of their efforts, their perception among clients and in society as a whole, about the feasibility of implementing specific programs aimed at improving the social protection of the population. When compiling social biographies of clients from among representatives of risk groups, they use data from interviews, questionnaires, surveys, letters, documents, archival materials, autobiographies and other sources and methods of collecting information that are traditionally used in sociology.
In general, without using the achievements of the search and research tools of sociology, social work runs the risk of losing touch with reality and developing on the periphery of the actual vital needs of people whose social well-being, emotional well-being, and vision of the existential perspective depend on it.
The relationship of social work with psychology
Social work, being aimed at the various needs of people who find themselves in difficult life circumstances, and the activation of the potential of their life, in its functioning cannot do without an array of knowledge accumulated in the bosom of psychology - the science of regularities, processes, forms of human mental activity.
It is through the use of scientific, reliable, evidence-based knowledge about the human psyche, which can be verified by logical analysis and experience, that social work can ensure its effectiveness, since reliance on everyday experience, empirical observations of psychological processes, clients' reactions often generate fatal errors.
The psyche as a set of spiritual qualities, the inner subjective world of a person arises and changes in the process of human interaction with the outside world, is expressed in the form of thoughts, feelings, images, actions. Knowing the world, a person learns the laws of nature and society, not only in order to adapt them to meet their material and spiritual needs, but also to influence them in a certain way.
The central object of psychology is the personality, its needs, motivational and cognitive spheres, the orientation of individuality in all its variety of manifestations.
For social work, knowledge is important not only about general patterns human personality, but also about its features, which depend on the specific conditions of the social situation, development, life, profession, age, status in the group and in the system of interpersonal relations, positions and dispositions (norms that determine the rules of behavior), features of socio-psychological adaptation.
Psychological knowledge, relevant methods, techniques are the basis of psychologically and comprehensively oriented models of social work practice. Of particular importance for her are the following branches of psychological science and psychological practice:
a) psychodiagnostics - a branch of psychological knowledge about the psychological state of the client or about his individual psychological properties, associated with the establishment of a psychological diagnosis;
b) psychological counseling - assistance to mentally healthy people in the implementation of their functions, the achievement of life, professional and other goals, in the organization of effective behavior;
c) the use of techniques, methods and means of psychological interaction with the client (psychodrama, music therapy, etc.)..
Social work in its scientific searches and in real practice cannot do without the achievements of developmental psychology - a branch of psychological science that studies the features of personal and mental development, the inner world of a person at different stages of his development. life path in ontogenesis (from birth to death).
Legal psychology enriches social work with knowledge about the various psychological problems of behavioral deviations and their consequences, as well as methods for their prediction and prevention. As a rule, interaction with people of antisocial behavior is not easy: deviant (such that it contradicts the norms accepted in society), delinquent (does not provide for mandatory criminal liability), criminal (such that it provides for punishment by the court). Without knowing the peculiarities of the course of mental processes inherent in such individuals, without having the necessary methods of influence in interaction with them, social workers will not be able to achieve the goals in their work.
The closest connection between social work and social psychology is the science of interaction, the interdependence of the social and psychological at the level individual person, groups, societies, o socio-psychological phenomena that arise in the process of interaction and characterize the individual and groups. So, with its content, social psychology is focused on the study of socio-psychological phenomena and subjects: needs, moods, psychological climate, public opinion; mass socio-psychological mechanisms of communication (suggestion, fashion, beliefs, etc.), mental states (excitement, enthusiasm, confusion). She is interested in how the mechanism of transmission of a particular mental attitude contributes to the realization of the social or individual subjectivity of the individual, who and why uses the mood as a “lever” in achieving certain goals, and how all this affects the well-being of the people.
At the end of the XX century. psychology has significantly expanded the boundaries of its research, becoming interested in such phenomena as “well-being”, “social activity”, “social services”, which help people make their lives meaningful, realize their activities, develop vitality, provide assistance and support to those who need it. .
For specialists, incl. and social workers who work with people involved in the regulation of social relations, knowledge of conflictology is important - the science of social conflicts, their causes and consequences, the mechanisms of formation and suspension, ways and methods of managing them and solving them. It was formed in the second half of the 20th century. on the verge of social psychology, sociology and pedagogy.
Together with social work as a science, conflictology studies potential and existing conflicts between the individual and the social environment (society and microsociety), which are significant for both parties. Without taking into account the conflictological aspect, it is impossible to comprehend the content, object, subject, categories of social work as a science. Otherwise, its separation from social needs and tasks is inevitable. Ignoring the conflictological consideration of the theoretical and methodological problems of social work leads to their one-sided interpretation, narrowing the boundaries of social activity, reducing it only to charity and charity, social benefits, medicine.
In social work, there are often cases of conflict of interests of the client and the social worker, the individual and the group, the group of clients and the public community, the system of institutions and groups of clients, etc. Skillful behavior in a conflict situation of a social worker, psychologically competent conflict management keep him in the business sphere, protect from being transferred to individuals, which is a prerequisite for successfully overcoming it.
So, the specifics of social work in the interdisciplinary sphere of scientific knowledge necessitates a deep awareness of specialists with the main theories of psychology, the directions of psychodiagnostics and the psychological impact on a person in crisis situations. A variety of psychological concepts equip social workers with awareness of the features of the development of the psychological structure of the personality, the dynamics of positive changes, give them the opportunity to determine their own approach to the provision of social assistance, consistent with their professional views and value orientations. Therefore, knowledge of psychology is the basis for the activities of social workers.
Bibliography
1. Migovic 1.1. Social work. - Uzhgorod, 1997.
Sidorov V. Teaching the practice of social work in Ukraine: the way to Europe / / Social policy and social work. - 2002. - No. 3.4.
Social work in Ukraine: Proc. allowance / Ed. I. D. Zverina, G. M. Laktionova. - M.: Scientific world, 2003.
Social work: In 3 hours - Part 1. Fundamentals of social work / Ed. T. Semigina, I. Grigi. - K .: Kiev-Mohyla Academy, 2004.
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An analysis of the current state of social work in Russia allows us to dwell on a number of conclusions and contradictions. By order of the State Education Committee of August 7, 1991, a new educational specialty "Social Work" was opened in Russia for higher educational institutions. Almost since that time, many (philosophers, sociologists, psychologists, educators, etc.) began to actively study social work as a science. A wide variety of publications devoted to the object and subject appeared; laws and principles; structure, functions and categories; place of social work among other social sciences. The overwhelming majority of scientists agree on the answers devoted to the principles of social work, its functions and categories, as well as relationships with other sciences. There are disagreements related to the object, subject, patterns and structure of social work.
There is a growing number of supporters who consider social work to be an independent science, however, there are other points of view: some are trying to find a place for it in social pedagogy, others in social philosophy, others include it in psychological sciences. Sociologists are especially representative in determining the place for social work. They classify social work as middle-level sociological theories; attempts are presented to dissolve social work in the field of sociological knowledge through the development of the latter; there is a quite scientific position for our time in general, that sociology is a methodology for social work; social work is also regarded simply as one of the numerous subjects of sociological analysis.
Literally everyone who is interested in social work agrees that it has an interdisciplinary and applied character, and the position on the integrative-complex nature of the theory and practice of social work has practically received universal approval. However
in general, there are much more positions on which there are various kinds of disagreements and differences associated with social work as a science than positions on which scientists express their agreement with each other. For example, a number of authors (P. D. Pavlenok, V. A. Nikitin, E. I. Kholostova and others), quite reasonably analyzing the concept of “social work”, note its purpose both in a broad and narrow sense . So in study guide"Theory and methods of social work" in the analysis of approaches to the theory of social work, its two levels are identified. In a broad sense, the theory of social work is understood as a system of views and ideas that "arise under the influence of the activities of social services and bodies of social protection and assistance to the population"; in the narrow sense - as "a form of organization of scientific knowledge about the most significant connections and relationships" . At the same time, there is no unity among researchers even in comparing such concepts as “social work”, “social work as a science”, and “social work theory”. In this regard, the position of P. D. Pavlenok is logical, who considers social work as a whole, consisting of three inextricably linked components (science, studying proccess and the type of specific practical activity), and defines social work as a science, “the function of which is to develop and theoretically systematize knowledge about social work as experience, practice. Given the above, we will consider it justified to use the concepts of "theory of social work" and "social work as a science" as identical categories.
If we agree that the theory of social work and social work as a science are essentially concepts that are adequate to each other (in passing, we note that not all works have an unambiguous similar interpretation of these concepts), then, in our opinion, there is a more complete definition of social work as science from the same P. D. Pavlenok, which we take as a working definition of social work
you as an independent science. "The theory of social work is the science of the laws and principles of functioning, development and regulation of specific social processes and states of the individual in difficult life situations, the protection of his rights and freedoms through a targeted impact on the individual and his environment." We also give two definitions of the theory of social work, which, on the one hand, testify to a multivariate approach to the definition of social work as a science, and on the other hand, because of their vagueness, it is simply difficult to agree with them. The first of them: "The theory of social work is a sub-theory of the science of education, which in turn acts as a sub-theory of sociology." And second: “The theory of social work is an independent branch of social and humanitarian knowledge in the system of social sciences; it has all the structural elements of scientific knowledge and is characterized by integrativity and applied orientation. It is clear that this definition of the theory of social work is quite applicable to many other knowledge in the system of social sciences.
In modern conditions, the theory of social work is developing in a situation of constant discussions. Many scientists attribute it to the group of applied sciences, while not forgetting to note that the status of the theory of social work has not yet been actually ascertained. One cannot but agree with the conclusion that "the practical essence of social work determines its content as a science." We also share the position on the historical conditionality of social work as a science, on the recognition of social work as a profession. According to M. V. Firsov and E. G. Studenova, the further development of the theory of social work should go in four directions: theory individual work, the theory of group work, the theory of community work, and the theory of social administration and planning. Researchers have identified two scientific alternatives to the concept of theoretical substantiation of social work: "socially integrative type (function of adaptation) and emancipatory type (function of change)" .
Today, it is more and more generally accepted that social work is becoming a phenomenon of a civilized society. In our opinion, it has an extremely complex multi-factorial, multi-stage and multi-layered structure. The main elements of this structure are: practical activity, academic discipline, specialty, profession, sphere of social policy, social institution and
the science. The essential and functional characteristic of social work can be expressed in activities whose purpose is to provide assistance, support and protection to those in need. Through the achievement of this goal, a more constructive socialization of these people in need should occur.
The unresolved and debatable methodological problems of the theory of social work as a science are due to a number of modern contradictions. This is pointed out by a number of authors; so in the textbook "Social work: theory and practice" ed. E. I. Kholostova and A. S. Sorvina note: “Social work is internally contradictory: on the one hand, it is designed to existentially help the individual become a subject of social life, to promote its individualization, using personal and social resources, and on the other hand, as a social institution must fulfill the social order of the state, maintain social order in society.
In another textbook "Social work" ed. V. I. Kurbatov, we are talking about other contradictions for social work as a branch of scientific knowledge. Here “two opposing tendencies are characteristic, connected with the answer to the question: what is primary for the development of social work - scientific knowledge, theory, on the one hand, or practice, social action, on the other? Another controversial dilemma: what lies at the basis of social problems: social relations, society as a whole, the social environment, or a person who contains the main causes of all his personal troubles and misfortunes determined by nature? .
It is clear that the list of problems and contradictions that directly affect the development of social work as a science can and should be expanded. It should be noted once again that social work has a short (especially for Russia) historical period for its improvement. Yes, and its “theoretical field” is being developed by scientists who, as a rule, are not professional specialists specifically in social work. Representatives of other sciences (philosophers, sociologists, historians, psychologists, teachers, physicians, etc.) are actively and fruitfully working in this direction; figuratively speaking, it turns out that, taking into account the lack of time and professionalism, it is the passengers themselves who push the bus going along the route “Social work as a science”.
Despite the heroic diligence of our scientists who study social work as a science, despite certain achievements
However, it is necessary, probably, to recognize that the real achievements are not so high compared to the expected ones. A brief conclusion on the results obtained is determined by the fact that someone to a greater extent, someone to a lesser extent managed to "pull" social work as an independent science (or theory of social work) either to sociology, or to psychology, or to philosophy, or to pedagogy, or politics. The process of "attraction" for many is multivariate at the same time (interdisciplinarity); which in general is undoubtedly more attractive, but in reality - nothing more.
What's the matter? Does this mean that the study of social work as a special science has reached a dead end? In our opinion, it seems possible to give the following answers to this question. First, let's imagine that scientists put even more diligence into developing the theory of social work. Undoubtedly, there will be new interesting developments that will become additional touches to the already noted methodology for studying social work as a science in connection with its “linking” with some other sciences, which in itself cannot serve as a long-awaited result. Large-scale theoretical discussions about the integration of social work with other sciences and its dissociation from them (drift towards independence) have led us to a dead end. It will be more and more difficult to go further in this direction, it will become necessary to spend more and more time and effort on obtaining weakly significant results. We believe that it will be much more effective if we do not get involved in further integration interdisciplinary discussions, which, undoubtedly, at a certain stage in the development of social work are not only necessary, but also productive. We express confidence that today it is more reasonable and more rational if we direct our thoughts and interests to the search for an answer to the question of how the theory of social work as a science can go beyond interdisciplinary relationships, beyond its integral nature, which at the same time organically characteristic of it.
Secondly, once again noting and fixing, on the one hand, the existing results in the development of social work as a science, on the other hand, these achievements, they in their own way testify to the crisis of the theory of the linear and progressive development of science, humanity and culture as a whole. Scientific progress was not only studied and analyzed, but also imposed by scientists and politicians. However, in our time, the understanding is becoming clearer that the consequences of economic, political, social
Noah and other types of activity cannot be completely overcome, relying only on scientific progress. AT social institution education and knowledge for a long time in social science was dominated by social optimism, which has recently significantly diminished.
Thirdly, today social work, like no other science, with its problems, contradictions and achievements, contributes to the expansion and deepening of the process of unification and reconstruction of social science into a single whole. In the history of science there were different stages of its development: there was a time when philosophy separated from the social sciences, there was a period when the sciences were divided into humanitarian, natural and technical. There was a time to scatter stones, today the time is coming when they must be collected. Social science is called upon by the "challenge of the time" to unite different sciences to achieve the goal - to provide the maximum amount of benefits for the maximum number of people. Today, it is not enough just to rely on the methodology and methods of other sciences - this is interesting and important, but this is already the past. For social work, one of the most important issues is the development of new methods and techniques of cognition. V. A. Nikitin drew attention to this problem, noting that “social work is a special type of social and humanitarian activity that requires unusual forms and methods of cognition that do not fit into the framework of the classical understanding of science. The complexity of its content does not always allow one to obtain the only correct interpretation, which has the obligation of scientific truth. Often the value of social work (of a particular technology, means or method) is determined not by the rigor of scientific justification, but by the effectiveness of implementation, practical benefits for a person, society.
Ways, forms and methods of cognition are a product of the culture in which scientists live. The methods of cognition that are most widely used in social work are taken from sociology or from psychology. To use the experience and developments of others reasonably and efficiently, but up to a certain time. Social workers are already faced with the urgent need to develop their own methods of cognition. Unfortunately, social workers characterize the objects of social protection, as a rule, from statistical positions; however, in reality they are not. Literally all objects of social protection are organically inherent in a dynamic character. Therefore, a special set of methods of cognition is needed for naturally and socially conditioned movements occurring in the client, se-
meh, groups. A dynamic character is also characteristic of those problems and contradictions to which the efforts of practical social workers and managers are directed. Moreover, changes occur not only within problems, but also in attitudes toward them. Social workers seeking to know the most adequate interpretation of complexly constructed elements human life, must constantly bear in mind that the interaction of elements in the systems with which they work and which they study never ceases. This provision is inherent in all systems in social work (object-subject systems, social work as a science, social work as a specific type of activity, social work as an academic discipline, professional and non-professional social work, etc.).
In the interpretation of a complexly constructed reality, the existing achievements should be classified as modest. Social workers pay due attention systematic approach and systems analysis, however, they explore systems through a position of equilibrium. But the state of equilibrium is only one part (period, stage) that characterizes any system. Any systems sooner or later get out of balance, change and even collapse. It turns out that the knowledge of any of the studied systems by a social worker should already be a movement in itself, only if this condition is met, we will be able to adequately interpret the complex - how the system is constructed in reality.
If we take the position that the knowledge of our systems is always a movement, then we will note that in the social systems that the social worker studies, there are no general and universal truths. Based on the noted position in cognition, we will obtain more reliable data on the balance between the depth and breadth of the systems under study, the combination of fragmentary and synthetic elements in them. We must find out how the reality of these social systems is constructed, in the construction of which other systems took part, consisting of elements of nature, culture, history.
Social work will only become a separate and independent science when, precisely as a science, it represents a separate system. The prerequisites for fulfilling this requirement already exist, for example, we have already noted the system-forming processes taking place in the structure of social work as a whole. As regards social work proper as a science, then, firstly,
here it is expedient to return to the question of the combination of theory and practice. We have already noted that the opinion of scientists developing social work as a science is widespread, that in general it has an applied character and its practical relevance is a priority in it. In our opinion, the differentiation of science into applied, theoretical and ideological is very conditional, but since this happened, there were probably certain socio-cultural prerequisites for this in certain historical periods in the development of science. One cannot but agree that many of the origins of social work as a science lie in its practical activities. In this regard, the history of people suggests that the institution of assistance is a permanent institution in culture, as well as the institution of struggle, which is in many ways opposite to it. However, the separation of empiricism from theory in the scientific field can never be absolute. Any applied knowledge is based on theoretical constructions, and theories are then meaningful when they contain applied demand. “Theory helps to make sense of the facts. The popular notion “the facts speak for themselves” is profoundly wrong. Many sociologists are primarily concerned with empirical questions, but if they are not guided by theory in their search, their work does not provide an opportunity to clarify the causes of the events under study. This happens even when research is undertaken for purely practical purposes. This position in the relationship between theory and practice has a special vital purpose. The conflict between know and be in social work must be resolved through activity. It is the strategically integral direction towards changing the realities of life, actively carried out through the unity of theory with practice, that should distinguish social work from other sciences. In other words, the methodology of social work as a science must develop along the path of essential rationality. Using the knowledge of the metaphysical foundations of human existence, its tendencies of change in socioculture, its real-life problems, resources and other opportunities to achieve pre-planned goals, social work must fulfill the tasks assigned to it, related to the example of organizational reunification of the social sciences.
So we single out two strategic tasks that social work as a science must solve in the near future: 1) social workers must unite around
the concept of essential rationality - working in this direction, we can more effectively, at the lowest cost, realize our ultimate goals, which are to protect and support those in need, to assist them in the optimal process of socialization into modern culture, to know historical alternatives aimed at preserving the existence of mankind in conditions of compatibility of politics and morality; 2) in the process of realizing the first task, social work as a science must simultaneously solve the second task, the essence of which is connected with the organic reunification of the social sciences. It is clear that this reunion cannot be eternal. However, for today's history it is extremely relevant. The whole society is in a systemic crisis, we have to go through this crisis and its consequences. Losses are inevitable, we are already suffering huge losses today, tomorrow there will be even more. It is possible for human culture to get out of the systemic crisis if we unite, become more open and pure. First of all, it is necessary to unite social science scientific areas, which in itself will make it possible to place (finally) social practice in the integrity of the study of nature and culture.
Today, there are a number of obstacles to fulfilling these two tasks facing social work as a science. One such impediment, to which modern social work in general has a direct bearing, is that there is an overestimation of the importance of theoretical thinking. In Russia, science paid a lot of attention to social myth-making, and it doesn’t matter where: in science itself, in practical activities, in the organization and management of the social service system, etc. We try to bring any kind of activity of social workers under theories, concepts, ideologies, models, etc. Only after “successful or not very successful” such “linkages” of activity with theory do we sometimes think about the expediency of what has been done. Naturally, we do not belong to the opponents of theoretical knowledge, but in science there must also be a "measure" and a certain rational expediency. Theories work if they are supported by empirical data, then they give the expected knowledge and lead to new practical and theoretical work. For Russian science it is extremely important to understand that objectivity does not depend on the worldview of this or that researcher. It is based on reliable methods of research and argumentation. For social sciences special meaning here it has a discussion-public character
discussed results. The specificity of social work is largely predetermined by the daily life of clients. Reality research Everyday life serves as the main source of scientific data. And the realities of everyday life are such that theoretical knowledge is a small and often not the only part of knowledge.
Another obstacle is related to modern education and scientific and technological advances. modern education began to gravitate toward solving not theoretical, but applied problems. The pathos of “momentary” comprehension of the truth and the acquisition of knowledge “here and now” is intensively spreading. The lack of practical knowledge is experienced as a serious social problem. Foreign sociologist E. Griffin noted that “knowledge about something turns out to be less important than the answer to the question:“ What will I do? The ultimate goal of theoretical research is to achieve practical wisdom about how to act.
It would seem that for social workers, where practical activity occupies a special place, the noted applied orientation cannot be a drawback. Of course, practical skills and technologies applied in a timely and expedient manner are always an important element of social work. However, the emphasis on "practical armament and readiness" conflicts with the traditions of subcultures, with the values of humanism. Technological practical skills and knowledge often show their helplessness in the face of radical subjectivation of actually operating structures and institutions. Indeed, social work itself repeatedly points to the existing dialectical relationship between knowledge and its social basis. For the issue under discussion, this means that practical skills and technologies cannot be eternal and ubiquitous.
The next obstacle, like those already noted, is also multifactorial, historical and resource dependent. It's about about the “equivalence of the different”. It is well known that in our time around the world there is a growing demand and an increasing number of people claiming state social security. The authorities reacted to this in the following way: 1) by increasing taxes; 2) reduction of services (some of them became paid); 3) increasing the collection of money from the population from other areas; 4) expansion of the public sector to meet the needs of the population. But there is no single social reality, there are many realities. Therefore, the question of who to help in the first place (who should be considered poorer
oppressed and oppressed), is extremely relevant today not only from a practical standpoint, but also from a strictly scientific point of view. It is well known that in social work there is no hierarchical ladder of categories of those in need from the social bottom. It is very problematic to give a scientific answer to the question about the hierarchy of deprivation, not only in comparative, but also in purely specific terms.
AT contemporary culture there is an increase in human preferences for a tolerant attitude towards others. Tolerant behavior has a social property and is influenced by the dominant motives in society. The maxims of world culture are difficult to implement in real life. Social workers contribute to the formation and development of social maturity, its indicators are attention and understanding of other behavior. From the point of view of social work as a science, it would be very interesting to explore the very “fan” of relationships between subcultures from the social bottom (homeless people, the disabled, orphans, drug addicts, etc.). It is no less interesting to study the "dominant" cultures in the general "envelope": is there a semblance of cultural pluralism, what are the consequences of an unequal relationship with individual subcultures for the whole culture as a whole.
Social workers, like no one else, understand that modern culture clearly lacks mercy; they receive this knowledge through practice, through scientific and managerial spheres. However, the reality is not always consistent here. The Dutch cultural historian Johan Huizinga notes that “as crime becomes more and more widespread, there is also tolerance, often bordering on admiration. The international swindler meets with more sympathy than the ordinary fraudulent accountant. For a more substantial concretization of the discussed obstacle facing social work, we will give a few more examples. Sociologist Anthony Giddens, analyzing attitudes towards various drugs (coffee, alcohol, marijuana), concludes that alcohol and coffee are "socially acceptable" drugs, but marijuana is not. However, there are cultures that tolerate marijuana consumption but reject coffee and alcohol. Our next example is related to the return to “society” of persons who have served their sentences in prisons, as well as the return of patients who have been discharged from psychiatric clinics. These people are equal to other members of society who did not find themselves in these places, however, culture often rejects their claims to equivalence and very often these people face a lack of understanding and support.
Another obstacle facing the development of social work as a science is associated with a number of models of social protection of the population. We are not against the models and ideologies of social protection, although, of course, it is clear that all this is temporary, changeable, and often set by politicians. The main problem is that in Russia today, in reality, there is no model of social protection that would embody the historical past, contemporary issues, available moods and resources, the effectiveness of which would be determined by purposeful rational activity. It is probably not worth pointing out that a suitable model cannot be found either in our history or in our contemporary culture; the model of social assistance is not a mineral, it is not originally embedded in the social world. Social work as a science will undoubtedly have the opportunity to present its proposals for this model for Russia. This can only happen if we investigate the necessity and structural schemes of this model, maintaining with it the dialectically mobile process of cognition. Moreover, the main task of scientists is not to offer certain constructions, but to find them in a constantly changing historical system. No matter how paradoxical it may seem, this “scientific search” should be filled more and more with such cultural thought, where antinomy and ambivalence become more and more noticeable characteristics.
Any models of social purpose should be evaluated by the inherent value of the existence of mankind, regardless of any conditions. For Russia, this is especially true, since for us depopulation has already become a long-term element of our culture. In Russia especially, and in the world as a whole, specialization in "weeding and uprooting" of life is more effective than its "germination" and protection.
Social constructions (institutions, models, systems, etc.) cannot be idealized. The point is not only that scientists (including social workers, politicians, managers) cannot be impartial, since they are part of the same culture; any structures and systems have a limited duration and not unlimited possibilities; in addition, one model can block the appearance of another model. The question arises about the study of their results of competition.
In modern Russian conditions, when some are ascended, while others are not attracted, and it is difficult for some to be just because they have everything, and for others because
Because they don't have what they need, it's not productive to have serious scientific discussions about models of social assistance. But even this period of life must be experienced with dignity, while not losing the initially laid social grain, consisting of anthropo- and egocentrism. Social workers, of course, for the priority of the individual, for the realization of individual potential, but if necessary conditions for all. In conditions of various deficits, it is difficult to maintain love and mercy for one's neighbor. To some extent, these contradictions and the obstacle under consideration are humbled by rapidly growing self-help groups and other public organizations involved in charity, however, it is difficult to imagine that their activities will be essentially rational and spiritually healthy structures can gather around them. At the same time, for scientific research, the increase in the number and activities of various kinds of subjects of the institute of assistance are undoubtedly of particular interest.
Finally, let us pay attention to one more obstacle that must be overcome by social work as a science in order to gain a full-blooded status of independence. When we say that the time has come to look at social work from other positions, when we believe that it will contribute to the unification of all social sciences at this historical period and they will adopt the method of essential rationality, which is more in line with other methods than other methods. modern research requirements of social science in general - all this together indicates our confidence that the existing possibilities of social work are much richer than its really significant possibilities. To overcome this contradiction, to create conditions for the existing opportunities to receive the status of existing ones is one of the most urgent tasks of modern science.
The need to unite the sciences is not an invention, but one of the answers to the demands of the time. Many scholars have warned of the loss of culture's unifying ideas and forces. P. A. Sorokin wrote about the advent of the Age of uncertainty in the era of sensuality, M. Heidegger - about the loss of rootedness modern man, K. Jaspers - about the expansion of man's existence, in which he must sacrifice his being. In conditions of isolation from oneself, from culture and nature, a person is also looking for emergent functions aimed at unification. "The strength of subjects is rooted in the almost universal desperation of people to 'belong to the whole'".
Social work, performing intermediary functions in the practical field of its activities, already has experience in bringing together different areas and different institutions. This achievement can become one of the foundations for the unity of the sciences, since some associations of people will lead other associations. Social work in this process should in no way play the role of a “push” and should not undertake any other authoritarian designs to achieve belonging to the whole. Impulses and motives, interests and needs, directed towards the integrity of the social sciences, are found in culture itself as a whole, as well as in science itself as a whole, which is part of culture. Scientists in this matter should not forget that the main property of matter is its self-organization. This property is also inherent in the scientific sphere of social sciences; the task of scientists is to identify these trends.
Social workers, like researchers in other sciences, also know other properties of the material and spiritual world, which in their own way testify to the unity of the world in general and science in particular. For example, the opinion of a scientist is a subjective opinion, but subjectivity cannot but be part of a more general one, it is generated by this general one. Plato argued about another example of the unity of the world, explaining that not being is being of some kind. People should consider the events of experience as the basis of relationships. In practice, social workers are constantly faced with the noted properties of our world: those problems that lie on the surface, require sympathy, compassion and help, have deep inner sources that are more complex compared to external data. Social work, even in our time, can be attributed to the number of rare human sciences, where an attempt to overcome the flaw of an abstract person is positively evaluated, it tries to treat anyone in need of help as a person. Understanding in many respects the tragic and destroying the integrity of our culture factors, social workers, probably more than others, know the available opportunities to overcome the negative consequences or at least to partially compensate them. Someone must eliminate, compensate for the consequences of social evil, which expresses itself in need, illness, ignorance, poverty, unemployment, orphanhood, alienation and other "types of payment by account" that modern civilization makes for its achievements.
To complete life's perception of the available opportunities, researchers should pay special attention to "sociocultural vacuums", which, under the influence of excessive
challenges, exorbitant overloads and unnatural swings have become a very noticeable phenomenon in Russian conditions. But the vacuum, both in nature and in history, cannot be absolute. The well-known ethicist of Russia A.P. Skripnik points out, “where a sociocultural vacuum arises, immoralism celebrates its orgies.”
Social workers are well aware that the way to overcome social evil and its consequences lies in the culture itself, in the improvement of its capabilities. The process of this improvement proceeds simultaneously both as a whole along the anthropocentric path and along the individual egocentric path. It is clear that a professional has his own resource for participating in the eternal human process, where “every soul is tested and comforted”, however, an experienced social worker, who has seen a lot in life, has his own advantages here: according to F. M. Dostoevsky, “ when we are unhappy, we feel the unhappiness of others more strongly: the feeling is not broken, but concentrated. Improving the possibilities of social work in Russia is superimposed on a favorable historical morale.
natural field; a well-known fact that the Russians have always had a heightened sense of justice, and their communal life contributed to the spread of a sense of equality.
Pointing to the great, so far largely underused, the possibilities of social work, we must have a flexible and dialectical assessment of the achievements. The sphere of human relationships is filled with moral assessments, and here the line of ethics of growth clearly no longer operates. The growth of opportunities can be not only good, but also evil. Everything is made up of contradictions. We must cultivate not away from what we do not like, but in spite of it; social workers (scientists, teachers, practitioners, managers) should cultivate a sharper sensitivity to both love and hate. In Russia, the real increase in the possibilities of social work is connected not only with its multi-structural growth; it is necessary to build a great society with a real, powerful economy, without false social myth-making. You need to find your way in the world's diversity and not break it many times in history, but constantly improve it.
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