The Otherness of social work under neoliberal governance

Abstract

This special issue examines the topic of ‘understanding the Other’ from a very different perspective of ‘Otherness’, which advocates that the own Otherness of social work be reflected on as well. In the contexts of many current societies, social work itself increasingly appears as a strange element – an exceptional idea – as ‘the Other’. Moreover, a question raises over whether social work itself is understandable to those who are outside of it. In this paper, social work is distinguished at three institutional levels: as a science, as a profession and as an ideology or social movement. The paper aims at analysing how social work itself is put into the position of ‘the Other’ in the current era dominated by neoliberal dogmas, particularly by the ‘triumph of managerialism’. The process of Othering and the marginalisation of social work in its own fields have serious consequences for the identity of social work today. At the end of the paper I will try to demonstrate how social work can make itself more understandable in its various contexts of action: among other sciences and professions, in politics and in broader society – and particularly for service users and people in need. Referring to Habermas’ classic theory, I argue that the basis for opening the borders of Otherness is to recognise that differences exist between the functional system of social work and the life world (Lebenswelt) of citizens. At the same time, social work is tasked with maximising communication and dialogue between these systems.