Ruth Phillips

Social policy for social change

and that practitioners are obligated to continually evaluate their practice to critically respond to age-related social policy agendas in a meaningful way that respects and acknowledges the diversity, contestability, and ever-changing nature of the social work with older people. Each chapter is previewed by a summary of the issues canvassed. In addition, each includes case profiles, a chapter summary, ‘‘key lessons’’, and to engage the reader further, an activity section and suggestions for additional reading. Overall, this is a clearly written, easy-to-read, well-structured text, which provides an important perspective that challenges current practice with older people. This text offers an approach consistent with the principles of a profession committed to human rights and social justice focusing on practice driven by theory. I recommend this text to social work students and to practitioners in the field who are continuously seeking to make a positive and noticeable difference in the lives of older clients and are committed to challenging the obstacles to achieving this agenda.

Food security and women's health A feminist perspective for international social work

English Food security is increasingly affected by global economic and environmental phenomena. Food price increases and food scarcity cause social and political instability, and can escalate to humanitarian crises. As women are particularly likely to be affected by threats to food security, this paper argues for feminist analyses in social work responses and research. French La sécurité alimentaire est de plus en plus affectée par l’économie mondiale et par les phénomènes environnementaux. Les prix des aliments augmentent et la raréfaction de la nourriture est cause d’instabilité sociale et politique, et peut dégénérer en crises humanitaires. Dans la mesure où les femmes sont susceptibles d’être particulièrement affectées par les menaces sur la sécurité alimentaire, cet article argumente en faveur des analyses féministes dans la recherche et les réponses apportées par le travail social. Spanish Los fenómenos del medioambiente y la globalización afectan cada vez más a la seguridad alimenticia. El precio de los alimentos y su escasez causan inestabilidad social y política que pueden abocar a crisis humanitarias. Ya que la seguridad alimenticia tiende a afectar a las mujeres de una forma particular, este artículo arguye a favor de un análisis feminista por parte del trabajo social y la investigación.

What does the ‘Fourth Wave’ Mean for Teaching Feminism in Twenty-First Century Social Work?

There is no straightforward definition of feminism today. In spite of this, scholars and researchers who describe themselves as ‘feminist’ continue to produce work that both interrogates the specific and general conditions of womens lives and explores the more ubiquitous construct of ‘gender’, and in social work, feminist understandings remain central to practice, theory and research. This may, in large part, be reflective of the continuing over-representation of women as providers and users of social work services. It may also echo social works broader emancipatory, ‘social justice’ aspirations. Whichever is the case, we are currently witnessing a resurgence of interest in feminism across the world, with a claim that we are experiencing a ‘fourth wave’ in the global North that has its birthplace primarily on the Internet. Given that this is so, this paper asks: what (if any) is the impact or possible influence of fourth wave feminism on teaching social work today?

feminism, policy and women's safety during Australia's 'war on terror'

The main argument in this article is that the Australian government in power from 1996 to November 2007 failed womens domestic security by denying the central policy role of womens organizations in the struggle against domestic violence and by successfully expunging public debate on gender issues in Australian governance, while participating in the ‘war on terror’ to guard national security. In bringing together a discussion about the war on terror and the importance of feminism for womens security, key issues about feminism, race and gender are considered. This article also explores the prevalence of violence against women and the social implications of the lack of leadership in public debate about the gendered nature of violence against women. Under the Australian government led by Prime Minister John Howard that gained power in 1996 and was defeated in 2007, womens organizations lost financial support and womens policy infrastructure was decimated. Violence against women, however, continued to increase, reaffirming womens place in Australian society as insecure and dangerous. After more than 30 years of struggle to maintain domestic violence and sexual assault as serious social policy problems, provide services, support and advocacy for women who are victims of violence and assault, womens organizations are coming to terms with a society where there is a blindness to the role of gender in violence against women.

Feminist Research and Social Work

Growing from challenges to dominant, masculine thinking and action for social change for women, feminism offered frameworks for practice and research. Social works unique relationship to women as the majority of its workforce and as clients fits well with evolutions in feminist thought. Key debates within feminism are echoed in debates within social work, including challenges to traditional research modalities, views of the domestic sphere, conceptualisations of ethics and ideas of the self-aware researcher. This article provides an overview of what feminist social work research is, how it is informed by feminist theories and research methodologies.

Rights to protection and the state: the Australian Government's National Plan to reduce violence against women and children and victim's justice

ABSTRACT Due to increased awareness and impact of domestic violence, womens safety in the domestic sphere has become a prominent problem in Australian politics. In an analysis of criminal injuries compensation (CIC) processes in WA, this paper highlights a specific aspect of national policy failure in relation to safety for women who have experienced domestic and family violence. It establishes policy impetus to acknowledge a right to protection by the state within the domestic sphere, then discusses the history and relevance of state responsibility/obligations for victims of crime compensation and demonstrates how the failure to comply with the nationally endorsed plan to address domestic violence places some women at risk of further harm. The example of WAs victims of crime compensation processes highlights the high level of female domestic violence victims using the scheme and important intersectional issues pertinent for Indigenous women. The paper points to how a specific failure of policy implementation may be addressed.

Challenges and Futures for Social Work and Social Policy Research Methods

Research contributes both to policy and practice frameworks. It is used to explore key areas, to produce constructive analyses, to contribute to evidence-based policy and practice and to inform evaluative activity. In the fields of social policy and so-cial work, practitioners are also increasingly undertaking research both to inform their practice and to generate and test out policies. In this chapter, research meth-odology, analytical processes and dissemination activity are discussed and ap-praised. Methodological issues associated with researching into these fields are examined and future directions are explored.

Postcolonialpostcolonial theory Scholarshipscholarship postcolonial in Social Justice Research postcolonial feminism postcolonial methodology social justice research

In social justice research postcolonial theory is applied in similar ways to its use as a methodology in historical analysis, discussed by Allender in Chapter 13. Social justice research spans a range of social science disciplines including: social policy, social work, political inquiry and sociology. Although using similar ideas and principles, and drawing on some of the same key postcolonial thinkers as the post-colonial project in historical analysis, social justice research applications of post-colonial theory are part of a different project derived from a different canon of post-colonial scholars. This canon mostly comprises feminist scholars interested in the relationship between race, nation and gender, often sharing the central social justice aim of eliminating gender inequality. In demonstrating how postcolonial research methodology is used in social justice research, some key scholars that have influenced policy analysis into the domains of international poverty policy and gender and poverty, as well as potential applications in the local context, are discussed.

PostcolonialpostcolonialtheoryScholarshipscholarshippostcolonial in Social Justice Researchpostcolonialfeminismpostcolonialmethodologysocial justice research

In social justice research postcolonial theory is applied in similar ways to its use as a methodology in historical analysis, discussed by Allender in Chapter 13. Social justice research spans a range of social science disciplines including: social policy, social work, political inquiry and sociology. Although using similar ideas and principles, and drawing on some of the same key postcolonial thinkers as the post-colonial project in historical analysis, social justice research applications of post-colonial theory are part of a different project derived from a different canon of post-colonial scholars. This canon mostly comprises feminist scholars interested in the relationship between race, nation and gender, often sharing the central social justice aim of eliminating gender inequality. In demonstrating how postcolonial research methodology is used in social justice research, some key scholars that have influenced policy analysis into the domains of international poverty policy and gender and poverty, as well as potential applications in the local context, are discussed.

Postcolonial Scholarship in Social Justice Research

In social justice research postcolonial theory is applied in similar ways to its use as a methodology in historical analysis, discussed by Allender in Chapter 13. Social justice research spans a range of social science disciplines including: social policy, social work, political inquiry and sociology. Although using similar ideas and principles, and drawing on some of the same key postcolonial thinkers as the post-colonial project in historical analysis, social justice research applications of post-colonial theory are part of a different project derived from a different canon of post-colonial scholars. This canon mostly comprises feminist scholars interested in the relationship between race, nation and gender, often sharing the central social justice aim of eliminating gender inequality. In demonstrating how postcolonial research methodology is used in social justice research, some key scholars that have influenced policy analysis into the domains of international poverty policy and gender and poverty, as well as potential applications in the local context, are discussed.