Understanding Anti-Oppressive Theory Application in Social Work

This essay delves into the core principles of anti-oppressive theory and its critical role within social work practice. It highlights how critical social work addresses social problems stemming from oppression and injustice, drawing from various schools of thought like feminism and Marxism. The essay emphasizes the importance of recognizing and eradicating social oppression within communities, cultures, and societies, advocating for social workers to adopt a social justice perspective. It further discusses how social workers can effectively implement anti-oppressive practices by gaining knowledge of diverse groups, social systems, and fundamental human rights, using the example of domestic violence against immigrant women in Ireland. The essay also touches upon the shift from traditional social work models to anti-oppression approaches influenced by social movements and underscores the significance of human rights and social justice in social work. It concludes with a critical reflection on the need to link theory and practice, raise awareness of oppressive factors, and promote human rights education to support anti-oppression efforts. Desklib provides access to similar essays and study tools for students.

ANTI-OPPRESSIVE THEORY AND CRITICAL
SOCIAL WORK

Critical social work and theories
• The application of critical social work theories in a crucial social condition can
be referred to as critical social work. The critical theories suggest that social
problems are arising from the various types of oppression and injustices. The
social work theories arise from various schools of thoughts such as feminism ,
Marxism , social democracy , anti-racism and many others .
• The social work theories have nearly three phases of analysis. These are the
progressive position, the reproductive position and the contradictory position.
• The major focus of the critical social work includes poverty , social exclusion ,
racism , abuse , oppression crime and many others .

Anti-
oppressive
theory
• The Anti-oppressive theory first
recognizes the type of social
oppression in the communities ,
cultures and societies. Then it
tries to eradicate the pressures
to erase such oppression
(Mattsson, 2014).
• The anti-oppressive social works
and practices which adopt the
Social justice perspective solely
are more effective.

How the social workers can
conduct anti-oppressive
practices
• The social workers should obtain knowledge of different groups and
cultures, social systems, and also the fundamental human rights to
efficiently deal with the issues .
• An example of social oppression which needs the attention of social
workers is the domestic violence against women of immigrant
communities in Ireland. They face manta and physical abuse as well as
suffer from the prejudiced behavior of the mainstream society (Sue,
Rasheed & Rasheed, 2015).

How do anti-oppressive theories
work
• The long established social –work models such as self fulfilment
and rehabilitation are being largely replaced by distinctive
development of the anti-oppression approach .
• Social movement such as feminism , lesbian and gay revolution ,
disability concerns are the constituents of this new kind of anti-
oppression approach (Luchies, 2014).

Human Rights and Social
Justice
• The social –workers must know and
understand the human rights properly .
• The Universal declaration of human
rights in the year 1948 includes the
right to property, freedom from
oppression and discrimination (Luchies,
2015).
• Those Social workers who are well
aware of the human rights can instantly

Critical Reflection on anti-oppression
theory and practices
• According to my opinion an anti –oppressive perspective into
real life requires a link between the theories and practices .
• As a social –work practitioner of anti-oppressive practices I have
well defined my understanding of the basics such as
egalitarianism and social justice.
• As a social worker I have understood the need for raising
awareness of oppressive factors among the communities to
reduce such issues . I have also realized that the education of
human rights can also support the anti-oppression theories and
approaches.

Cycle of oppression and theories of
social work

References
Luchies, T. (2014). Anti-oppression as pedagogy; prefiguration as praxis.
Interface: a journal for and about social movements, 6(1), 99-129.
Luchies, T. (2015). Towards an insurrectionary power/knowledge: Movement-
relevance, anti-oppression, prefiguration. Social Movement Studies, 14(5), 523-
538.
Mattsson, T. (2014). Intersectionality as a useful tool: Anti-oppressive social work
and critical reflection. Affilia, 29(1), 8-17.
Sue, D. W., Rasheed, M. N., & Rasheed, J. M. (2015). Multicultural social work
practice: A competency-based approach to diversity and social justice. John Wiley