Teaching

A look at the main critical theories of the 20th century and their relevance and potential applications in social work. Among the theories: Marxism and its relevance to radical social work; Neo-Marxism (Pierre Bourdieu) and its relevance for new public management; Post-structuralism (Foucault) and an analysis of social work as discourse and as a regime of truth; Feminisms, a gender analysis of social problems and feminist activism in social work; Post-Colonialism and critical analysis of multi-cultural social work.

A basic and advanced courses – the basic course is theoretical and presents the students with a critical analysis of poverty that centers on the definition of poverty as a lack of income, lack of social opportunities and a lack of symbolic capital. The course builds upon the work of the British scholar and activist Ruth Lister, and the Poverty-Aware Paradigm.

A delving into critical practices in social work, based on concepts from psychoanalysis (recognition, Jessica Benjamin), the poverty-aware paradigm and feminism.