Qualitative Methods in Africana Studies by Conyers James L. Jr.;

Author:Conyers, James L., Jr.;
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780761867531
Publisher: University Press of America, Incorporated

Section V

Afrocentric Perspectives and Research Methods

Chapter 14

The African-Centered Worldview toward a Paradigm for Social Work

MEKADA J. GRAHAM

Social work interventions with black families and children have been the source of controversy, conflict, and disquiet for many decades. Research evidence continues to indicate that Black communities are over-represented in those services that involve social control functions such as the juvenile justice system in its dealings with young Black people, compulsory admissions to psychiatric units, and child protection. Black families are underrepresented in receiving preventative and supportive aspects of service delivery (Barn, 1993; Clarke et al., 1993; Roys, 1993; Lambert and Rowe, 1982; Skellington and Morris, 1992). Black communities and Black professionals in the field continue to voice their general dissatisfaction with social work interventions and with the disabling effects of the social work process (Harris, 1991).

The Association of Black Social Workers and Allied Professions (ABSWAP) provided compelling evidence to the House of Commons Social Services Committee in 1983 highlighting the plight of Black children in the care system and was active in identifying the need for a legislative framework that addresses race, culture, and language in the provision and delivery of services (ABSWAP, 1983). Despite the introduction of the 1989 Children Act, and in particular Section 22(5)(c), which clearly requires local authorities to give due consideration to “the child’s religious persuasion, racial origin and cultural and linguistic background” in the provision of services and service delivery, Black children of all ages and both sexes continue to be overrepresented in the public care system (Barn et al., 1997; Lambert and Rowe, 1982; Rowe et al.). Research evidence suggests that the lack of appropriate preventative support services and a lack of understanding of the cultural orientation of Black families often result in social work operating against the interests of Black children (MacDonald, 1992;Barn, 1993).

Institutional racism has been identified as one of the key factors in the continued oppression of Black families within society, its effects compounded by “the system” of social welfare (Mercer, 1984). Dominelli (1988) and Ahmad (1990) have provided a well-documented exposition of racism in social work and of the continuing need to construct antiracist strategies that are incorporated into social work practice rather than merely offering an understanding of the nuances of racism in wider society. The main thesis of this article examines the ethnocentric nature of social work designs that purport to address the physical, intellectual, psychological, emotional, spiritual, and social needs of Black people. It is argued, moreover, that the theoretical foundations of established social work practice models do not reflect the diversity of worldviews and cultural values found in Britain today. My concern in this article centers on the core principles of social work—social justice, equality and self-determination—essential ingredients of all social work interventions, yet values which, it is argued, cannot be actualized when the social work knowledge base is dominated by a Eurocentric worldview.

The African-centered worldview challenges social work to expand its philosophical and intellectual base to embrace humanity; to release the domination of the Eurocentric worldview

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