An A-Z of Social Work Theory

Malcolm Payne holds honorary professorial posts with Manchester Metropolitan University, where he was for many years professor and head of Applied Community Studies, and Kingston University London. He worked as a social worker and manager in probation, child and adult social care and in community, mental health and residential care development work in local and national voluntary organisations, and in social work education in the UK, Finland, Poland and Slovakia. Among his many books are Modern social work theory (5th edition, 2021), Humanistic social work, What is professional social work?, Citizenship social work with older people, and (edited with Emma Reith-Hall) The Routledge handbook of social work theory (2019).

I found this book particularly useful for a starting point for further research into specific areas that I was being faced with in my day-to-day practice as a Student Social Worker. I also enjoyed the theory element of this book as it supported me in completing various assignments where Theory was required to be utilised throughout. This book has supported me through my first year as a Student and I will continue to refer to this during the duration of the course.

• AAcceptanceAccountabilityAction/activityActivismAdaptationAdvocacyAffect/affect regulationAffiliationAfrican-centred practiceAgeingAgeismAgencyAggressionAggression managementAlienationAllianceAltruismAmbiguityAmbivalenceAnti-discriminatory practiceAnti-oppressive practiceAnti-psychiatryAnti-racist practiceArtAssessmentAttachment theoryAuthenticityAthentizationAuthorityAutonomyBBalanceBauman, ZygmuntBeck, UlrichBeingBereavementBiestek, FelixBiopsychosocial modelBlack perspectivesBodyBody/mind/spirit workBoundaryBourdieu, PierreBrokerBuddhismBureaucracyBusinessCCapacity-buildingCapitalCare/caringCare managementCaseCase managementCase recordCaseworkChangeChaos theoryChildrenChristianityCitizen advocacyCitizenshipCodes of ethicsCognitive behavioural therapyColonialismCommodificationCommonalitiesCommunityCommunity developmentCommunity social workCommunity workComplex adaptive systemsConsciousness-raisingContractsConstructionism/constructivismContextCopingCo-productionCore conditionsCounsellingCrisisCrisis interventionCritical incident analysisCritical practice theoryCritical race theoryCritical realismCritical reflectionCritical thinkingCultural competenceCultural imperialismCultureDDecolonizationDeconstructionDependence/dependencyDeterminism/determinantsDevelopmentDewey, JohnDiagnosisDiagnostic practice theoryDialecticDialogue/dialogical practiceDifferenceDignityDisabilityDisabled living movementDisadvantageDisastersDiscourseDiscretionDiscriminationDisruptionDiversityDreadDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental DisordersDual process theoryEEclecticismEco/ecocentric/ecological/ecosocial/green social workEcological systems/eco systems theoryEgoEgo psychologyEmancipationEmbodimentEmergenceEmotionEmotional intelligenceEmotional labourEmpathyEmpiricismEmpowermentThe EnlightenmentEntrepreneurshipEpistemologyEqualityEquilibriumEthicsEthics of careEthnic group/ethnicityEvidence-based practiceexchangeexclusionexistentialismFFairnessFamilyFamily group conferencingFamily social workFamily support implementsFamily therapyFeminist practice theory fieldFordismFoucault, MichelFoundationalismFrame analysis/framingFraser, NancyFreedomFreire, PauloFreud, SigmundFunctional practiceFunctionalismFunctional analysisGGandhi, Mohandas KaramchandGenderGeneral systems theoryGeneralist/generic practiceGermain, Carel BaileyGiddens, AnthonyGilligan, CarolGlobalizationGoffman, ErvingGoldstein, HowardGramsci, Antoniogroups/small groupsgroup caregroupworkHHabermas, JürgenHabitusHalmos, PaulHegemonyHelpingHolismHopeHuman rightsHumanistic practiceHumanitarianismIIdentityIdentity politicsIdeologyImpartialityInclusionIndigenist theoryIndividualizationInequalityInsightInstitutionalizationInterdependenceInterpretivist theoriesIntersectionalityIntersubjectivityIntervention‘in vivo’IslamJJudgementJusticeK, LLabellingLanguage issues/linguistic turnLiberal ideasLiberationLiberation theologyLife course theoriesLife modelMMcDonaldizationMacro practiceMaintenanceManagerialismManualizationMarketMarketizationMarx, KarlMarxist social workMaterialismMeaningMedicalizationMedical modelMental healthMilieu therapyMillennium Development GoalsMindfulnessModalityModernityMoral panicsMotivational interviewingMulticultural practiceMultidisciplinary/multiprofessional practice/teamworkNNarrative practice theoryNeedNeoliberalismNetworksNeuroscienceNew public managementNon-directivenessNormalization/social role valorizationOObjectObject relationsOppressionOrdinary housing/ordinary living movementsOther/othering/othernessPParker Follett, MaryParticipation/client participationPathologizationPatriarchyPeer advocacyPeer supportPerformancePersonalizationPerson-centred practicePerson-in-situation/person-in-environmentPessimismPlacePluralism‘Post’ ideasPost-colonialismPostmodernismPovertyPowerPragmatismPraxisPrinciple-based ethicsPrivatizationPrivilegeProblemProblematizationProblem/troubled familiesProblem-solving theoryProceduralizationProcessProfessionalizationProgressivismPsychoanalysisPsychodynamic theoryPsychologizationPsychosocial theoryQQualityQuasi-marketRRaceRacism/institutional racismRadical practice theoryRawls, JohnReconceptualization movementReciprocityRecognitionRecoveryReflectionReflexivityReframingReid, William J.Relational practiceRelationshipReligionRepresentationResidential care/residential workResilience/resiliencyResistanceRespect/respect for personsRichmond, Mary (Ellen)RightsRiskRoleRole ambiguityRole complementarityRole conflictRole distanceRole setSSafeguardingSalomon, AliceSchön, Donald S.SecurityThe selfSelf-actualizationSelf-advocacySelf-determinationSelf-directionSelf-efficacySelf-respectSemioticsSen, Amartya KumarSheffield, Ada EliotSigns of safetySlaverySocialSocial actionSocial capitalSocial careSocial changeSocial constructionSocial developmentSocial exclusionSocial justiceSocial learning theorySocial movements theorySocial pedagogySocial reproduction theorySocial problemsSocial role valorisationSocial workSocial work theorySolution practice theorySpaceSpiritualityStageSteady stateStigmaStrengths practiceStructural practiceStructural psychodynamic theoryStructural-functionalismStructuralismStudySubjectSupportSurveillanceSymbolic interactionismSystems theoryTTaskTask-centred practiceTechnical assistance programmesTechnical rational/technicist practiceTheoryTherapeutic allianceTherapeutic community theoryTimeTimms, NoelTokenismTongan social workTotal institutionsTraditional social workTransformationTranstheoretical model of changeTraumaTroubled familiesUUnderclassVValuesVirtue ethicsVoiceWWeber, MaxWelfareWelfare rightsWelfare stateWisdomWolfensberger, W.Working throughWooton, BarbaraX, Y, Z