Kerry Brydon

Promoting diversity or confirming hegemony? In search of new insights for social work

All human societies have constructed indigenous strategies for responding to human need. While there are calls for social work to embrace diversity, there remains dissatisfaction with the hegemonic spread of Western social work. Analysis reveals different cultural orientations in a number of contexts and suggests that the Western context is indigenous defined by values and characteristics that are inconsistent with the other cultural orientations. This reality not only gives rise to serious questions regarding the applicability of Western social work to other cultural orientations, but also points to the need to develop new skills, values and theories for social work.

Have You Had Your Lunch Yet? A Case Study on Teaching International Social Work Students

The literature relating to university education is rife with commentary about internationalisation. The rhetoric of positing themselves in the international context appears to have entered the lexicon of most universities. However, the drivers for internationalisation appear largely economic and less has been said about some of the realities involved in moving to an internationalised position. Internationalisation raises many tensions for the university and for academic staff. This discussion reflects on the experience of one Australian university programme offering social work education in a non-Australian context. It seeks to highlight some of the learning from the experience and suggests opportunities for the adoption of a more transformative approach to internationalisation of social work education.

Developing an international social work education collaboration: A partnership approach between Monash University, Australia and University of Papua New Guinea

In late 2009 staff from the Department of Social Work at Monash University in Australia responded to a call for expression of interest in becoming volunteers in a program sponsored by the Australian Group of Eight Universities that sought to strengthen teaching and curriculum development activities with the University of Papua New Guinea. The presenting request was for volunteers to conduct short teaching stints in Papua New Guinea. The discussion that follows considers some of the issues, challenges and opportunities involved in forging this international collaboration in social work education.

Supporting International Students Undertaking Australian University Studies

While in Australia there has been emphasis on internationalisation of education as an export commodity, there has been less emphasis placed on the question of providing the international student with the support necessary to ensure that their educational experience is positive and that they are supported to achieve throughout their studies. This discussion will draw on a case study of a degree programme offered in an offshore setting. Key themes and issues that can undermine both the quality of the student experience and their capacity to complete their study programme are identified. Some possible strategies for responding to these themes and issues are also discussed.

Expert Companions? Constructing a Pedagogy for Supervising Honours Students

There is a substantial body of knowledge that describes and analyses supervision of higher degree research students. However, the literature is relatively silent on the question of appropriate pedagogy for the supervision of honours students. Using a sample of social work students who completed their studies during the period 2005–2010, the authors set out to gain some preliminary knowledge of the appropriate pedagogy for the supervision of honours students. The findings reveal that most honours students constructed their supervisors as being expert companions, and provide some support for a social work model of academic supervision.

Offering social work education in an offshore context: A case study of an Australian programme delivered in Singapore

This article presents a case study of a social work education programme developed in one context and delivered in another. It briefly reviews the history of the programme and of the social services sector in the recipient country. Based on qualitative research, the article identifies a number of messages that have the potential to inform future such ventures. In particular the article concludes by challenging the dominance of western-centred constructions of social work and invites social work academics to broaden their understanding of the nature of social problems and possible social work responses.

Melanesian visions? Some preliminary thoughts about social work education and practice in Papua New Guinea

Social work is a discipline that has its origins in the Western context but has spread to a wide range of contexts. We undertook a small research project as a quest to enhance the delivery of fieldwork programs but the findings clearly held implications for the development of new social work models and practices that are unique to the Papua New Guinea context. While further research is needed, it is our contention that the integration of Melanesian values holds promise, albeit accompanied by challenges, to contribute to the indigenization of social work as a model of practice that reflects local needs and local context in Papua New Guinea.

The rights of older people? Reflections on one institutional response to ageing

There is growing recognition that there ought to be concern about the phenomena of elder abuse. To a significant extent the foundation for this recognition lies with instruments for the protection and promotion of human rights. There are also implicit assumptions that the assertion of rights coincides with the realisation of rights. Infringements on rights can be subtle and difficult to quantify and remedies for these infringements difficult to pursue. This discussion will critically review one narrative concerning the ways in which institutions can compromise the human rights of older people even though this may not be intended.

Am I Still a Social Worker? Reflections on Child Protection Practice

Social workers alone appear to be held accountable for failures in child protection. However, social workers operate within a broader contextual environment. The protection of children does not occur in a vacuum, divorced from social and political influences. This discussion examines this issue and considers critical influences that appear to have eroded the social work perspective on child protection.