Fred H. Besthorn

Transpersonal psychology and deep ecological philosophy : Exploring linkages and applications for social work

Summary This article broadens the way social work understands the ways humanity defines and shapes its individual and collective realities in relation to nature. It incorporates and links relevant knowledge from transpersonal psychology and deep ecological philosophy in an effort to formulate fresh avenues for defining, pursuing, and resolving the many challenges that humankind faces at the dawn of this new millenium. The article concludes by suggesting some points of connection for generating a trans/ecological approach to social work and how this may portend important shifts of focus in social work theory and practice.

Globalized consumer culture : Its implications for social justice and practice teaching in social work

Globalised consumer culture and its corresponding ethos that accumulation of material possessions equates to happiness are having a profound impact on the physical, social and emotional health of human beings. For social work practitioners and field educators the issue is how we balance the charge to serve our clients without unwittingly forcing them into a system that is designed by its very nature to increase their dissatisfaction and alienation. This essay discusses these concerns and offers some initial, suggestions for how social work may respond.