‘What Are We To Do About Difference?’: Race, Culture and the Ethical Encounter

Abstract

This paper is based on the findings from a study in which social workers in healthcare settings were asked for their perspectives on cultural and racial difference as these apply to their practice with racialized clients. In examining the varied practice philosophies and approaches they employ, we find that older practice models based on problematized knowledge about racialized Others are being, alternately, reinstated and contested. In grappling with how to practise, participants describe approaches that, in many cases, effectively individualize clients and ignore hierarchies and systems of domination. Following Sarah Ahmed's work on ethical encounters (Strange Encounters, Routledge, London, 2000), we argue for a socially and historically informed consideration of power relations as they shape professional practice.

Keywords:

• Social Difference
• Race
• Culture
• Ethical Practice
• Social Work

Notes

¹Our intention had been to conduct one-on-one interviews with all participants. However, in one setting, busy social workers agreed to a lunchtime focus group rather than individual interviews. The interview questions put to the group were the same as those posed in the interviews. We recognize that, as data collection methods, individual interviews and focus groups can provoke and generate different responses and engagement with the questions but in our analysis the themes revealed consistencies, and responses from both are included in this paper.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Donna Jeffery

Donna Jeffery is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Victoria, Victoria. Her research focuses on professional education and knowledge production, in particular the pedagogical practices that address the complexities of social difference and exclusion in social welfare practice

Jennifer Nelson

Jennifer Nelson is Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Toronto, and co-founder of Cardinal Consultants research services. Her research examines the relationship between race and social space, and the effects of social marginalization on health and healthcare