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Self-Determination and a Critical Perspective in Casework

Promoting a Balance between Interdependence and Autonomy

La Trobe University, Australia

The principle of `self determination' enjoys a well-deserved position within the theory and practice of social work. While seeking to respect this status, the present exercise begins with a question: might we as clinicians, therapists and case workers risk attenuating our clients' current relationships, and their future prospects for quality connection, if we pursue the goal of self-determination over zealously? In order to explore this question, first, an examination of definitional and historical material is developed which suggests that self-determination was once viewed as more contentious than it is currently, a view that prompts a clearer perception of the ascendant place of the independent self in contemporary conditions. Second, material focusing on the cultural specificity of the concept is presented, the result of which raises further doubt about universalizing the status and legitimacy of self-determination. Third, critical ideas related to practice are developed to identify and problematize the theory of the self that is implicitly performed in casework practices that overly rely on self-determination. A final, brief section canvasses examples of progressive practices that seek to qualify the primacy of self-determination as a goal by introducing complementary goals. Specifically, it is suggested an allegiance to that which emphasizes personal accountability and interpersonal interdependence helps strike a balance between the goal of self-determination and imperatives related to feminist, cultural and ecological values.

Key Words: case-work • `relational-self' • self-determination

Qualitative Social Work, Vol. 2, No. 2, 177-196 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/1473325003002002004


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