Embedding Spirituality and Religion in Social Work Practice | Free Book
Blending material from social work with religious and spiritual sources, this book makes explicit that engaging with spirituality in its broadest sense is an essential aspect of socially just social work practice. Gardner connects shared understandings of spiritual/religious traditions, critically reflective social work, First Nations relational world views, green and relational approaches.
Through multiple unique case studies, Embedding Spirituality and Religion in Social Work Practice: A Socially Just Approach outlines the theoretical framework of critical spirituality, which is explored as a way of workers’ understanding their own and others’ sense of meaning, whether it is spiritual and/or religious, and to encourage workers to be mindful, open, humble and energised as workers.
Combining the theoretical and practical, this book outlines strategies and processes to ensure social workers embed spirituality in their practice constructively and inclusively across all areas of practice. This book will be of interest to those engaged in the wider field of social work, from direct service to policy development.
In The Press
‘While crisis and uncertainty are central to the experience of living
in the 21st century, so too is the need for that which is restorative.
This is Fiona Gardner’s starting point as she wrestles with the
complexities of what it means to be a person for whom aspects of
religion/spirituality are both central to one’s identity and sense of
meaning but at the same time often regarded as deeply flawed and
problematic. This is social work scholarship at its best as Gardner
grapples with the essence of what it is to be human and what really
matters to create an understanding of social work practice which
weaves together a multiplicity of factors including religion and
spirituality, ethics, histories, theories, cultural and environmental
contexts, and most importantly, lived experiences.’
Beth R. Crisp,
Professor and Discipline Leader for Social Work at Deakin
University, Australia
'I experienced a sense of enthusiasm for this book that I very rarely
experience in seeing a new social work text. Fiona presents a deeply
satisfying holistic and integrated synthesis of the most important
aspects of being spiritual and being a social worker in a way which is
accessible to people of all faiths, ideologies and world views. It is
an extremely timely and necessary book given all that is happening on
a global scale. We owe it to ourselves, not just as social workers,
but as engaged human beings, to read and ponder its contents.'
Jan Fook, PhD, FAcSS, Professor and Chair, University of Vermont, USA.
'Fiona Gardner has provided a clear, concise, and persuasive argument
for the need to include spirituality and religion in social work
practice. She demonstrates the manner in which a commitment to
decolonized social work requires an acknowledgment of what people
value and hold dear in their lives, what gives them meaning, purpose,
and the will to continue. She draws upon her own model of critical
spirituality, as well as green, or eco, spirituality, and First
Nation’s spirituality, to show how spirituality and religion raise
questions related to the environment and social justice alongside
personal meaning-making. Integrating critical reflection, and
providing numerous case examples, she offers methods of incorporating
a social worker’s humility and curiosity as the foundation for
respecting spirituality in individual, family, and community
practices, and within organizational contexts. Practically, she draws
upon narrative and strengths perspectives to operationalize these
commitments, concluding with a review of ethical considerations. This
has resulted in an important and timely book for social workers truly
wanting to respond ethically and compassionately to "the
person-in-environment".'
Laura Béres, Associate Professor and Graduate Program
Coordinator, School of Social Work, King’s University College at
Western University, London, Canada.
'Fiona Gardner is one of the pioneers in considering what it means to
be a critically reflective practitioner. In this very timely book, she
combines her extensive knowledge and experience of both reflective
practice and social work in a reader-friendly text that highlights the
complexities – and importance – of taking an holistic and socially
just approach to professional practice. Although the focus of the book
is on social work, the eclectic body of literature upon which Gardner
draws (ranging widely from postmodernism to environmental issues and
First Nations perspectives) as well as her exhortation to explore
one’s own meaning-making, including how assumptions and beliefs emerge
from particular social and historical contexts, will also be of
relevance to professionals in other fields. Using her own definition
of what she calls "critical spirituality" – a process of discovering
"what is meaningful in the context of enabling a socially just,
diverse and inclusive society", Gardner explores various
understandings of spirituality and religion, how these play out in
practice and, especially, "what difference" they may make.
Illustrating the theoretical aspects of the book with numerous
accounts of her own and others’ practical experiences, Gardner
deliberately seeks to engage her readers in a dialogue about life’s
deepest questions and how we can assist one another to live it
well.'
Cheryl Hunt, Chief Editor of the Journal for the
Study of Spirituality, University of Exeter, UK
- Title: Embedding Spirituality and Religion in Social Work Practice | Free Book
- Author: Steven
- Created at : 2024-10-26 03:02:53
- Updated at : 2024-10-27 00:42:05
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