Promoting Compassionate Concern in Social Work
Reflections on Ethics, Biology and Love
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 10894802 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Andy Bilson (0000-0003-1243-2663, University of Lancashire, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2007 |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue | 8 |
| Pages | 1371-1386 |
| Publication date | 2007-12-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The British Journal of Social Work (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0045-3102 • E-ISSN: 1468-263X |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1093/bjsw/bcl060 |
| OpenAlex | W2078848925 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 10 |
This paper challenges proceduralized, rule-bound approaches to ethics and considers how social workers and teams can develop an attitude of compassionate concern and become more effective in dealing with ethical problems in their day-to-day practice. It introduces the work of Humberto Maturana, a widely respected theorist, whose work has received little attention in social work. The paper argues that Maturana’s biology of cognition provides an approach to ethics that takes into account the spontaneous nature of everyday work in which social workers undertake their ethical actions. It stresses the importance of emotions, particularly love, and considers the way in which ethical action is shaped by culture. It emphasizes the importance of engaging in reflection on professional practices and team, professional and organizational culture in order for social workers to improve their awareness of ethical dilemmas and promote ethical practice. For those teaching ethics, this paper suggests an alternative to the rational consideration of moral dilemmas and proposes approaches to training that can help social workers become more attuned and responsive to ethical conflicts.
Action (physics) · Applied ethics · Engineering ethics · Environmental ethics · Political science · Sociology · Ethics in medical practice · Mental Health and Patient Involvement · Psychology · Social Psychology · Social Work Education and Practice · Social Work
The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity
Establishing Virtue in Social Work
Standardized Clients in the Classroom
Escaping from Intrinsically Unstable and Untrustful Relations
Self-Producing Systems
From ‘Disappearing’ to ‘Demonized’
Moral Character in Social Work
Use of Critical Consciousness in Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice
Knowledge and Reasoning in Social Work
Virtue Ethics and Social Work
| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0.3 |
| Citation span | 2016 - 2026 (11) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |