Abstract

A Professional Journal for the Social Worker and Social Administrator THE STRUCTURE OF SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE AND SOCIAL ACTION* CYNTHIA TURNER THE POSITION OF SOCIAL ACTION in the social work profession is much less clearly defined than soda] casework, both in its philosophy and methods. There are probably more conflicting opinions about social action than most other aspects of social work practice. This article attempts to locate differing attitudes towards social action in the characteristics of the organisation of social work practice and to suggest how this organisation influences the methods through which social action may be most appropriately carried on. Social action, the current term for social reform, may be defined as the systematic and conscious effort to bring about social change, that is, to change material and social conditions which affect people adversely.(/) Knowledge of these conditions may come through practice in casework, group work, com- munity organisation, research or adminis~ation, or by participation in agency committee work or activities outside one s employment. While it is assumed that social action as a concept is an entity, it is acknowledged that the methods of social action may be many and varied. There is probably some area of