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- Title
A political perspective in problem solving.
- Authors
Murdach, Allison D.
- Abstract
The article suggests that strategies and skills commonly used in political processes would help social workers balance the multiplicity of interests involved in clients' problems. Problem solving has emerged as a major helping method in social work, but its effectiveness is often diminished by a failure to emphasize the social context to problem. The article proposes a political approach to problem solving--an approach that takes into consideration the processes by which participants in problem solving try to order and manage their relationships in dealing with client-oriented problems. The article emphasizes such processes as negotiation, conflict resolution, and the building of support. The article reviews some deficiencies in current problem-solving theory and discusses a conceptual framework for a political approach. The study develop some general problem-solving strategies based on this framework and illustrates them with case vignettes drawn from the author's personal observations as a psychiatric social worker in a large public hospital. The article points out advantages of this approach for social work practitioners.
- Subjects
PROBLEM solving; SOCIAL workers; SOCIAL services; CRISIS management; SOCIAL science methodology; SOCIAL psychology
- Publication
Social Work, 1982, Vol 27, Issue 5, p417
- ISSN
0037-8046
- Publication type
Article