1,015
Views
0
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Original Articles

Post-modernism, truth and social work

Pages 204-213 | Accepted 01 Mar 2002, Published online: 01 Feb 2008
 

Abstract

In this article, I suggest that social workers should be servants and seekers of truth and that they should do their utmost to re-legitimise the quest for truth in social life and professional practice. I hold that while post-modernism must be applauded for its incisive critique of the totalising tendency' of the quest for truth, especially when fuelled by passionate ideological conviction, yet its forthright rejection of truth itself has had disastrous social consequences and serious deleterious effects on professional practice in social work. Over the last two decades or so, the baby (truth] has been recklessly thrown out with the bath water (totalistic Ideologies) and the consequences have been sorely felt in society, in the personal lives of individuals, in the human service professions as a whole and in social work, especially of course in the writings and professional practice of those who have enthusiastically embraced post-modernism. I also suggest, however, that social work needs to take full advantage of the insights of post-modernism (and especially of Foucault) in order to avoid falling into a totalistic chasm' as the profession pursues its own quest for truth.

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.