What is Anti-oppressive Social Work?
(reprinted from AOSW website)
Within Canadian social work, the term “anti-oppressive practice” is generally understood as an umbrella term that encompasses a variety of practice approaches including, but not limited to, radical, structural, feminist, anti-racist, critical, and liberatory frameworks (Bailey & Brake, 1975; Dominelli, 1988; Dominelli & McLeod, 1989; Fook,2002; Leonard, 2001; Moreau, 1993; Roche, Dewees, Trailweaver, Alexander, Cuddy & Handy, 1999). Therefore, rather than being seen as one “practice approach”, anti-oppressive social work can be more accurately understood as a stance or perspective toward practice. The term ‘anti-oppressive social work’ represents the current nomenclature for a range of theories and practices that embrace a social justice perspective.
For Dominelli (1998) anti-oppressive social work is a form of social work practice which addresses social divisions and structural inequalities in the work that is done with ‘clients’ (users) or workers. Anti-oppressive practice aims to provide more appropriate and sensitive services by responding to people’s needs regardless of their social status. Anti-oppressive practice embodies a person-centered philosophy, an egalitarian value system concerned with reducing the deleterious effects of structural inequalities upon people’s lives; a methodology focusing on both process and outcome; and a way of structuring relationships between individuals that aims to empower users by reducing the negative effects of hierarchy in their immediate interaction and the work they do together. (p.24)
Carniol (2000) also articulates a key element of anti-oppressive practice, the linking of personal matters and public issues:
For social workers who engage in anti-oppression practice, there is a strong connection between, on the one hand, providing individual assistance to people belonging to disempowered groups, and, on the other hand, working with social movements connected to these disempowered groups. By linking these two ways of working, social service providers are challenging social services from the ground up. We are reframing ‘private’ problems as public issues. (p. 115)
Thompson (1993) contends that anti-discriminatory practice is good practice and defines it as
An approach to social work practice which seeks to reduce, undermine or eliminate discrimination and oppression, specifically in terms of challenging sexism, racism, ageism, and disablism... and other forms of discrimination encountered in social work. Social workers occupy positions of power and influence, and so there is considerable scope for discrimination and oppression, whether this is intentional of by default. Anti-discriminatory practice is an attempt to eradicate discrimination from our own practice and challenge it in the practice of others and institutional strictures in which we operate.
Dalrymple and Burke (1995) describe a framework based on:
personal self knowledge
knowledge and an understanding of the majority social systems;
knowledge and understanding of different groups and cultures;
knowledge fo how do challenge and confront issues on a personal and structural level;
awareness of the need to be ‘research minded’ (Everitt et. al., 1992)
commitment to action and change. (p. 18)
and contend that
These six points, together with an understanding of power and oppression, contribute to the development of anti-oppressive practice. The framework enables links to be made between individual action and social structures. It informs practice by enabling the worker to evaluate differences that exist at an individual level and within society and how these impact on each other. It provides the means of making accurate assessments by taking account the inequalities that texture the lives of those denied access to society’s resources because of their defined social status and the exclusionary practices of the dominant system. It demands that we constantly engage in the process of critical self examination, which in turn enable us to engage in the process of change. (p. 18)
