Sankofa
Looking Back at my Practice Encounter with Witchcraft, HIV/AIDS and Disability in Ghana
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31265/jcsw.v8i1.96Keywords:
critical reflection, disability, HIV/AIDS, professional boundary, witchcraftAbstract
Social work students are trained to develop and maintain a professional sense of integrity, particularly when working in environments beyond their control. Using critical reflection as an example, students are encouraged to pause and reflect during practice encounters, which entails a reassessment of the situation. The aim is to help transform taken for granted ways of thinking and doing things into best practices. In this sense, students are provided with perspectives on theoretical frameworks and encouraged to appreciate the essence of maximizing practice through a culture of learning and reflection. Through the approach of critical reflection, students are also encouraged to understand how power functions in society, especially through ways in which an individual attempts to maintain unequal social relations. Critical reflection therefore helps students to fill knowledge gaps on how to discover and address inequalities in practice situations.
References
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Gitterman, A., & Germain, A. B. (2008). The Life Model of Social Work Practice: Advances in Theory and Practice. 3rd Ed. New York: Columbia UP. Print
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Clark, C. (2006). ‘Moral Character in Social Work’, British Journal of Social Work, 36.1 (2006): 75-89. Print.
Corey, G. (2005). ‘The Practitioner’s Use of Self in the Professional Relationship’. Skills for Human Service Practice: Working with Individuals, Groups and Communities. In A. O’Hara, & Z. Weber (Eds.), Melbourne. Oxford UP (49). Print.
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--- (1993). Radical Casework: A Theory of Practice. Sydney. Allen & Unwin. Print.
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--- (2000). Social Work Practices. Contemporary Perspectives on Change. London: Sage. Print.
--- (2005). Social Work Theories in Context. Creating Frameworks for Practice. New York: Pelgrave MacMillan. Print.
---, & Meagher, G. (2004). 'The Re-Professionalisation of Social Work: Collaborative Approaches for Achieving Professional Recognition', British Journal of Social Work. 34.2 (2004):243-260.
Hugman, R. (1991). ‘Power in Caring Professions’. London: Macmillan Press Ltd. Print.
Ife, J. (1997). Rethinking Social Work. Melbourne: Addison Wesley Longman. Print.
Lukes, S. (1974). Power: A Radical View. London, Macmillan. Print.
Maakor Q. (2011). Witchcraft: A Human Rights Conflict Between Customary/Traditional Laws and the Legal Protection of Women in Contemporary Sub-Saharan Africa, 17 Wm. & Mary J. Women & L. 475 (2011), http://scholarship.law.wm.edu/wmjowl/vol17/iss2/7.
Onyinah, O. (2002). Akan witchcraft and the Concept of Exorcism in the Church of Pentecost. PhD Thesis. University of Birmingham.
Osei-Hwedie K. (1990). ‘Social Work and the Question of Development in Africa.’ Journal of Social Development in Africa. 5.2 (1990):87-99. Print.
Pease, B. (2003a). ‘Introducing Critical Theories in Social Work’. In J. Allan, B. Pease, & L. Briskman (Eds.), Australia: Allen & Unwin. 1-14. Print.
Schön, D. A. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner. New York: Basic Books.
Schutz, A., & Baumeister, R. F. (1999). ‘The language of Defense: Linguistic Patterns in Narratives of Transgressions’. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 18. (1999): 269–286. Print.
Stepney, P. (2006). ‘Mission Impossible: Critical Practice in Social Work’. The British Journal of Social Work.36.8. (2006): 1289-1307. Print.
Shulman, L. (1991). Interactional Social Work Practice. Itasca: FE Peacock. Print.
Silverman, K. (1992). Male Subjectivity at the Margins. New York: Routledge, Chapman and Hall.
Tesoriero, F. (2010). Community Development: Community-based Alternatives in an Age of Globilisation. Australia: Pearson. Print.
Wieczorek, J. (2008). ‘Crossing Invisible Lines: Professional Boundaries, Gender and Power in Social Work’. Critical Reflection: Generation Theory from Practice: The Graduating Social Work Student Experience. In R. Pockett, & R. Giles (Eds.),
R. Sydney: UP. 15-29. Print.
Gitterman, A., & Germain, A. B. (2008). The Life Model of Social Work Practice: Advances in Theory and Practice. 3rd Ed. New York: Columbia UP. Print
Barbalet, J. M. (1985). ‘Power & Resistance’: The British Journal of Sociology, 36.4 (1985):531-548. Print.
Butler, A., Ford, D., & Tregaskis, C. (2007). ‘Who do We Think We Are? Self and Reflexivity in Social Work Practice.’ Qualitative Social Work 6.3 (2007): 281-299. Print.
CARE Int. (1995). Conflict of Interest Policy.
Clark, C. (2006). ‘Moral Character in Social Work’, British Journal of Social Work, 36.1 (2006): 75-89. Print.
Corey, G. (2005). ‘The Practitioner’s Use of Self in the Professional Relationship’. Skills for Human Service Practice: Working with Individuals, Groups and Communities. In A. O’Hara, & Z. Weber (Eds.), Melbourne. Oxford UP (49). Print.
Fook, J. (2002). Social Work. Critical Theory and Practice. London: Sage. Print.
--- (1993). Radical Casework: A Theory of Practice. Sydney. Allen & Unwin. Print.
---, & Askeland, G. A. (2007). ‘Challenges of Critical Reflection’: Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained. Social Work Education. The Int. Journal, 26. 5 (2007): 520-533.
---, & Cooper, L. (2003). Bachelor of Social Work Fieldwork Manual. Dept. of Social Work, School of Primary Health Care. Monash, UP. Print.
---, & Gardener F. (2007). Practicing Critical Reflection: A Resource Handbook. Maidenhead. McGraw Hill/Open University Press. Print.
---, Ryan, M., & Hawkins, L. (2000). Professional Expertise: Practice, Theory and Education for Working in Uncertainty. London: Whiting & Birch. Print.
Foucault, M. (1980). Power/Knowledge: Selected Interviews and other Writings 1972-1977, London: Harvester Press. Print.
Healy, K. (2011). Lectures on Social Work Theories. University of Nordland. Bodø.
--- (2000). Social Work Practices. Contemporary Perspectives on Change. London: Sage. Print.
--- (2005). Social Work Theories in Context. Creating Frameworks for Practice. New York: Pelgrave MacMillan. Print.
---, & Meagher, G. (2004). 'The Re-Professionalisation of Social Work: Collaborative Approaches for Achieving Professional Recognition', British Journal of Social Work. 34.2 (2004):243-260.
Hugman, R. (1991). ‘Power in Caring Professions’. London: Macmillan Press Ltd. Print.
Ife, J. (1997). Rethinking Social Work. Melbourne: Addison Wesley Longman. Print.
Lukes, S. (1974). Power: A Radical View. London, Macmillan. Print.
Maakor Q. (2011). Witchcraft: A Human Rights Conflict Between Customary/Traditional Laws and the Legal Protection of Women in Contemporary Sub-Saharan Africa, 17 Wm. & Mary J. Women & L. 475 (2011), http://scholarship.law.wm.edu/wmjowl/vol17/iss2/7.
Onyinah, O. (2002). Akan witchcraft and the Concept of Exorcism in the Church of Pentecost. PhD Thesis. University of Birmingham.
Osei-Hwedie K. (1990). ‘Social Work and the Question of Development in Africa.’ Journal of Social Development in Africa. 5.2 (1990):87-99. Print.
Pease, B. (2003a). ‘Introducing Critical Theories in Social Work’. In J. Allan, B. Pease, & L. Briskman (Eds.), Australia: Allen & Unwin. 1-14. Print.
Schön, D. A. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner. New York: Basic Books.
Schutz, A., & Baumeister, R. F. (1999). ‘The language of Defense: Linguistic Patterns in Narratives of Transgressions’. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 18. (1999): 269–286. Print.
Stepney, P. (2006). ‘Mission Impossible: Critical Practice in Social Work’. The British Journal of Social Work.36.8. (2006): 1289-1307. Print.
Shulman, L. (1991). Interactional Social Work Practice. Itasca: FE Peacock. Print.
Silverman, K. (1992). Male Subjectivity at the Margins. New York: Routledge, Chapman and Hall.
Tesoriero, F. (2010). Community Development: Community-based Alternatives in an Age of Globilisation. Australia: Pearson. Print.
Wieczorek, J. (2008). ‘Crossing Invisible Lines: Professional Boundaries, Gender and Power in Social Work’. Critical Reflection: Generation Theory from Practice: The Graduating Social Work Student Experience. In R. Pockett, & R. Giles (Eds.),
R. Sydney: UP. 15-29. Print.
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Published
2013-04-01
How to Cite
Hervie, V. M. (2013). Sankofa: Looking Back at my Practice Encounter with Witchcraft, HIV/AIDS and Disability in Ghana. Journal of Comparative Social Work, 8(1), 112–130. https://doi.org/10.31265/jcsw.v8i1.96
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