Paul Michael Garrett – författare

Social work educators and practitioners are grappling with many difficulties confronting the profession in the context of an increasingly neoliberal world. The contributors of this book examine how neoliberalism — and the modes with which it structures the world — has an impact on, and shapes, social work as a disciplinary ‘field’. Drawing on new empirical work, the chapters in this book highlight how neoliberalism is affecting social work practices ‘on the ground’. The book seeks to stimulate international debate on the totalizing effects of neoliberalism, and in so doing, also identify various ways through which it can be resisted both locally and globally. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the European Journal of Social Work.

Social work educators and practitioners are grappling with many difficulties confronting the profession in the context of an increasingly neoliberal world. The contributors of this book examine how neoliberalism — and the modes with which it structures the world — has an impact on, and shapes, social work as a disciplinary ‘field’. Drawing on new empirical work, the chapters in this book highlight how neoliberalism is affecting social work practices ‘on the ground’. The book seeks to stimulate international debate on the totalizing effects of neoliberalism, and in so doing, also identify various ways through which it can be resisted both locally and globally. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the European Journal of Social Work.

This book, from one of international social work’s leading radical educators, provides a richly compelling argument for the profession to become more critical and dissenting. Addressing the troubled times in which we find ourselves, Garrett’s book examines a broad range of theoretical frameworks and draws on diverse writers, such as Marx, Foucault, Brown, Zuboff, Rancière, Wacquant, Arendt, Levinas, Fanon and Gramsci. The author’s panoramic vision encompasses Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Algeria, Israel/Palestine and China. Timely, lively and accessible, this book speaks directly to some of the main preoccupations of our era. Readers will be encouraged to relate developments in social work to key themes circulating around migration, the threat of neo-fascism, surveillance culture, colonialism, the Black Lives Matter movement and the COVID-19 pandemic. Imbued with a sense of hope for a brighter future, this book encourages a new generation of social work students to recognise and examine the importance of critical theory for understanding the structural forces shaping their lives and the lives of those with whom they work and provide services.This book is vital, indispensable and essential reading for social work students and other readers, throughout the world, seeking to make the connection between social work, social theory and sociology.Paul Michael Garrett—probably the most important critical social work theorist in the English-speaking world—is a remarkable and very productive critical thinker. In this book he deals with issues of migration, the threat of neo-fascism, surveillance culture, colonialism, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the COVID-19 pandemic… Insightful and inspiring, thought-provoking and comprehensive in addressing timely critical issues for social work globally.(Filipe Duarte, International Journal of Social Welfare, 2021)

This book, from one of international social work’s leading radical educators, provides a richly compelling argument for the profession to become more critical and dissenting. Addressing the troubled times in which we find ourselves, Garrett’s book examines a broad range of theoretical frameworks and draws on diverse writers, such as Marx, Foucault, Brown, Zuboff, Rancière, Wacquant, Arendt, Levinas, Fanon and Gramsci. The author’s panoramic vision encompasses Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Algeria, Israel/Palestine and China. Timely, lively and accessible, this book speaks directly to some of the main preoccupations of our era. Readers will be encouraged to relate developments in social work to key themes circulating around migration, the threat of neo-fascism, surveillance culture, colonialism, the Black Lives Matter movement and the COVID-19 pandemic. Imbued with a sense of hope for a brighter future, this book encourages a new generation of social work students to recognise and examine the importance of critical theory for understanding the structural forces shaping their lives and the lives of those with whom they work and provide services.This book is vital, indispensable and essential reading for social work students and other readers, throughout the world, seeking to make the connection between social work, social theory and sociology.Paul Michael Garrett—probably the most important critical social work theorist in the English-speaking world—is a remarkable and very productive critical thinker. In this book he deals with issues of migration, the threat of neo-fascism, surveillance culture, colonialism, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the COVID-19 pandemic… Insightful and inspiring, thought-provoking and comprehensive in addressing timely critical issues for social work globally.(Filipe Duarte, International Journal of Social Welfare, 2021)

Remaking Social Work with Children and Families provides a sustained examination of the 'modernisation' of this area of social care. It analyses some of the key themes introduced by the administrations of John Major and Tony Blair and provides a critical exploration of contemporary policy initiatives and issues. These include:· the Looking After Children (LAC) materials· The Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and Their Families· 'working together' to protect children· the mainstream approach to 'race' and ethnicity in social work· the implications for social work of the emergence of 'personal advisers', mentors and related professionals.The author argues that political and ideological factors need to be taken into account in order to understand the dominant discourses and evolving practices of social work with children. Potential fixation with ensuring that young people are able to 'fit' into their allotted roles in a market economy and an overarching concern about children and criminality have been crucial in this respect. He concludes that while social workers and educators should be prepared to embrace change, they need to be critical agents in the process of change, recognising the ever present need to promote and foster democracy within the sphere of social welfare.This timely book will be helpful to all students, educators and social care professionals who are seeking to develop their theoretical and practical understanding of a changing profession.

Remaking Social Work with Children and Families provides a sustained examination of the 'modernisation' of this area of social care. It analyses some of the key themes introduced by the administrations of John Major and Tony Blair and provides a critical exploration of contemporary policy initiatives and issues. These include:· the Looking After Children (LAC) materials· The Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and Their Families· 'working together' to protect children· the mainstream approach to 'race' and ethnicity in social work· the implications for social work of the emergence of 'personal advisers', mentors and related professionals.The author argues that political and ideological factors need to be taken into account in order to understand the dominant discourses and evolving practices of social work with children. Potential fixation with ensuring that young people are able to 'fit' into their allotted roles in a market economy and an overarching concern about children and criminality have been crucial in this respect. He concludes that while social workers and educators should be prepared to embrace change, they need to be critical agents in the process of change, recognising the ever present need to promote and foster democracy within the sphere of social welfare.This timely book will be helpful to all students, educators and social care professionals who are seeking to develop their theoretical and practical understanding of a changing profession.

Rooted in a lively, critical approach to social work education and practice, Social Work and Common Sense challenges readers to think critically and more deeply about core facets of social work knowledge and ‘received ideas’. Garrett draws on the work of Antonio Gramsci to develop new, and often provocative, insights on attachment theory, creativity, anger, human rights, the ‘unmarried mother’ in Ireland’s past, and contemporary approaches to ‘decolonising’ social work education. The book is divided into ten chapters, each of which includes a series of reflection and talk boxes to assist students to critically reflect (individually and in class/seminar and fieldwork/workplace discussions) on key facets of the preceding chapter.Addressing often complex ideas in a freshly accessible way, Social Work and Common Sense will be required reading in all postgraduate and advanced undergraduate classes in theory and social work.

Rooted in a lively, critical approach to social work education and practice, Social Work and Common Sense challenges readers to think critically and more deeply about core facets of social work knowledge and ‘received ideas’. Garrett draws on the work of Antonio Gramsci to develop new, and often provocative, insights on attachment theory, creativity, anger, human rights, the ‘unmarried mother’ in Ireland’s past, and contemporary approaches to ‘decolonising’ social work education. The book is divided into ten chapters, each of which includes a series of reflection and talk boxes to assist students to critically reflect (individually and in class/seminar and fieldwork/workplace discussions) on key facets of the preceding chapter.Addressing often complex ideas in a freshly accessible way, Social Work and Common Sense will be required reading in all postgraduate and advanced undergraduate classes in theory and social work.

Recent years have witnessed a number of 'child protection' scandals where children, often from the poorest and most marginalised communities, have been on the receiving end of violence, abuse and social harm. In this short form book, part of the Critical and Radical Debates in Social Work series, Paul Michael Garrett looks at the impact of marketisation of social work services in both Ireland and England. He argues that marketisation has had a negative impact on policy regimes, working conditions, social work practices and on the services for vulnerable children and young people. Leading researchers from across the globe contribute to the debate and provide additional evidence from a range of policy regimes that catalogue the negative impact neoliberalism has had on children's services.

Drawing on a range of theorists and competing perspectives, this substantially updated and expanded second edition places social theory at the heart of social work pedagogy. This book imaginatively explores ways in which practitioners and social work educators might develop more critical and radical ways of theorising and working. It is an invaluable resource for students and contains features, such as Reflection and Talk Boxes, to encourage classroom and workplace discussions.This new edition includes:· An extensive additional chapter on Foucault · Reworked and expanded versions of the chapters featured in the highly-praised first edition· Revised Reflection and Talk Boxes· New and updated references to stimulate further reading and research

Social work education and interventions with Black African families are frequently impaired because of discrimination, racism and the structuring priorities of neoliberalism. Rooted in rich and fascinating empirical work with practitioners and educators, this urgent, scholarly and accessible book emphasises that ‘Black Lives Matter’. Intent on nurturing more progressive and pluralistic practices in pedagogy and practice, the book is a timely and significant contribution seeking to remake social work approaches to issues of ‘race’, racism and social justice.

Social work education and interventions with Black African families are frequently impaired because of discrimination, racism and the structuring priorities of neoliberalism. Rooted in rich and fascinating empirical work with practitioners and educators, this urgent, scholarly and accessible book emphasises that ‘Black Lives Matter’. Intent on nurturing more progressive and pluralistic practices in pedagogy and practice, the book is a timely and significant contribution seeking to remake social work approaches to issues of ‘race’, racism and social justice.

‘Systematically exposes the neoliberal myths in unequal societies’ - Niels Rosendal Jensen'A call to arms to challenge inequality and social exclusion.' - Lel Meleyal‘An impassioned dissection of the highly coded lexicon of so-called welfare reform…get reading, get angry, get ready’. - Gargi BhattacharyyaWelfare Words analyses the keywords and phrases commonly used by policy-makers, news-outlets and wider society, when referring to social policy, welfare reform and social work in the present-day culture of neoliberal capitalism. Examining how power relations operate through language and culture, it encourages readers to question how welfare words fit within a wider economic and cultural context riven with gross social inequalities; to disrupt taken-for-granted meanings within mainstream social work and social policy, and to think more deeply, critically and politically about the incessant usage of specific words and phrases. Written by an authoritative voice in the field, Paul Michael Garrett makes sense of complex theories which codify everyday experience, giving readers vital tools to better understand and change their social worlds.

‘Systematically exposes the neoliberal myths in unequal societies’ - Niels Rosendal Jensen'A call to arms to challenge inequality and social exclusion.' - Lel Meleyal‘An impassioned dissection of the highly coded lexicon of so-called welfare reform…get reading, get angry, get ready’. - Gargi BhattacharyyaWelfare Words analyses the keywords and phrases commonly used by policy-makers, news-outlets and wider society, when referring to social policy, welfare reform and social work in the present-day culture of neoliberal capitalism. Examining how power relations operate through language and culture, it encourages readers to question how welfare words fit within a wider economic and cultural context riven with gross social inequalities; to disrupt taken-for-granted meanings within mainstream social work and social policy, and to think more deeply, critically and politically about the incessant usage of specific words and phrases. Written by an authoritative voice in the field, Paul Michael Garrett makes sense of complex theories which codify everyday experience, giving readers vital tools to better understand and change their social worlds.

In this unique book, Paul Michael Garrett seeks to bring the profession into the orbit of the anti-capitalist movement and encourages a new engagement with theorists, rarely explored in social work, such as Antonio Gramsci, Pierre Bourdieu and Nancy Fraser.

Dominant social work and social care discourses on 'race' and ethnicity often fail to incorporate an Irish dimension. This book challenges this omission and provides new insights into how social work has engaged with Irish children and their families, historically and to the present day. The book provides the first detailed exploration social work with Irish children and families in Britain; examines archival materials to illuminate historical patterns of engagement; provides an account of how social services departments in England and Wales are currently responding to the needs of Irish children and families; incorporates the views of Irish social workers and acts as a timely intervention in the debate on social work's 'modernisation' agenda. The book will be valuable to social workers, social work educators and students. Its key themes will also fascinate those interested in 'race' and ethnicity in Britain in the early 21st century.