The challenge of superdiversity for the identity of the social work profession

Experiences of social workers in ‘De Sloep’ in Ghent, Belgium

Bibliographic Data

ID9974802
AuthorsBea Van Robaeys (Karel de Grote Hogeschool, corresponding author), Hans van Ewijk (0000-0003-1148-4285, University of Humanistic Studies, The Netherlands), Daniëlle Dierckx (University of Antwerp)
Year2016
Volume61
Issue2
Pages274-288
Publication date2016-04-18
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Social Work (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0020-8728 • E-ISSN: 1461-7234
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0020872816631600
OpenAlexW2335827770
LanguageEN
Citations received10
References cited34

This article examines the challenges that superdiversity and complexity pose for social workers. Taking an ethnographic approach, we focus on the ‘knowledge-in-action’ of social workers in a small service organization in Belgium in order to access their experiences of being professionals in superdiverse contexts. The reflections of the social workers reveal the prominence of three inter-related issues: the social vulnerability of clients, the tensions that arise in coping with differences between personal and professional frameworks and identities, and the discontinuity that challenges the professional self-confidence of social workers. The findings raise important questions for the professional identity of social work

Ethnography · Identity (music · Political science · Public relations · Social group · Social identity theory · Social science · Sociology · Vulnerability (computing · Anthropology · Gender Studies · Mental Health and Patient Involvement · Psychology · Research in Social Sciences · Social Psychology · Social Work Education and Practice · Social Work

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