• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.219-236
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• 2006

The purposes of this study are to investigate the research attitude of social work students and to examine the factors associated with research attitude. The subjects of this study are social work students around capital city in Korea. The sampling methods used in this study is a purposive sampling strategy. Data were collected by answering the questionnaire in class. Data from 321 of social work students were finally analyzed by regression analysis. The results show that the level of research attitude by social work students in Korea is relatively lower than previous study. The variables affecting importance and usefulness of research are related to the attitude of research class and the attitude of nature for social work practice. The implications of social work research education are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• no.36
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• pp.227-252
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• 2008

This study investigated the relation between social worker's beliefs on the nature of scientific knowledge which has been classified objectivism and constructivism and social work practice. As an epistemological position, constructivism is based on a view of knowledge that differs from that of objectivism, which holds that knowledge exists "out there" as objective truth. The focus of this paper is a examination on epistemological beliefs of social worker and social work practice. This paper proves that social work's epistemological beliefs have an effect on the practice modes. This research indicates that social works have a higher constructivist veiws than objectivist veiws on the nature of scientific knowledge. And social worker who have a high level of objectivism show a positive determinative mode. It has suggested that the constructive theory offers useful epistemology to the social worker who should deal with the clients in uncertain situations. In conclusion, a social worker with a high level of constructivism use an approach that creats a more equitable relationship between social worker and client. This perspective will allows cliens to participate in the formulation of theories in practice.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.53-70
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• 2004

This study is about family discourses of social workers in Korea. The purpose of this study is to gain suggestions of relatedness between discourse and practice by grasping the contents and meaning of discourses in social workers. 10 social workers in various fields were interviewed for this study. The results are followed: First, social workers understand family as a private space which have a meaning of shelter and refuge. Second, there are gaps between consciousness and practice of division of gender role in family. But social workers generally are inclined toward receiving division of gender role in family and applied to their family practice. Third, monolithic family image have a tendency of versatility in family structure, is inclined toward the division of gender role and myth of motherhood. Fourth, social workers perceived emotional tie as important nature of family solidarity and family as natural institution. Also these discourses of social workers were applied to their family practice. The results of this study reveals possibility that social work practice can be discoursive practice or interpretive practice.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.66 no.1
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• pp.139-162
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• 2014

This paper critically examines the existing discourses about 'relationship', a key element of social work practice and questingly examines Lao-tzu's work of Tao Te Ching, the book of way and virtue, as an alternative theoretical framework for social work relationship. Compared to current discourses of relationship beleaguered by either modernism or postmodernism, both of which are in the deadlock of binary perspective, the insights and vision in Tao Te Ching are successfully able to overcome the limits of them and provide new and profound way of thinking about human, society and their relationship. Especially core cannons crystallized by natural humanistic concepts for cosmos coupled with innate critical power against artificial manipulations of world can extend the horizon of understanding concerning the relationship between client and social workers and therefore provide a new and attractive roles in professional relationship. Moreover, opposed to usual images of Lao-tzu's ideas such as nihilism and passivity, alternative relationship of social work can play an important role of caring the disordered reality where Dao disappered and criticise the selfish desires of individuals and comport the broken-hearted minds in modern society. In addition, results of this paper implies that more extended study articulating ideas of Tao Te Ching with the social work practice would have lots of potentials to promote later researches in quest of 'Korean' social work practice.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.40
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• pp.131-156
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• 2000

Many different intervention methods have been developed to resolve the problem of clients, but research studies evaluating the effectiveness of such practices can be overwhelming to social workers because of the conflicting results of them. In this study, meta-analysis was used to make sense of this research, offering the general effect size of social work practice. Meta-analysis can answer the question, "how effective is the intervention?" beyond the question, "is the intervention effective?". It can integrate the fragmentated results of research studies and provide the guidelines for best practice. Combining the results of the 16 research studies, this study computed the general effect size of social work interventions. The mean d index was. 6636 (95 percent confidence interval of .5355, .8018). Conversion to Cohen's $U_3$ statistics allows for the inference that three-fourths (74.7%) of the clients who participated in an intervention group did better than the average clients of non-intervention group. This means that social work interventions are practically helpful to seven of every 10 clients who experience them. In conclusion, this study recommended the usefulness of meta-analysis, which can provide the intervention strategies based on empirical research and guide the best approaches.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.109-136
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• 2009

This study started with concerns for corporate philanthropy that is emerging as an alternative for resource development of social work field in Korea. However, corporate philanthropy is not operating as an accomplished conception yet, but as a type of the practical discourse. Therefore corporate philanthropy is interpreted a multiplicity of meanings is used ambiguously in social work practice field. This is because theoretical reviews on the conceptual thinking of corporate philanthropy are scant and is in need of empirical inquires into conceptual perception of social workers who uses this concept as a stakeholder to corporate philanthropy. After analyzing the data using Q methodology, the result shows that social workers' major perception patterns on corporate philanthropy perspective consists of three patterns; Win-Win Partnership, Social-obligation, Strategic Materialism. These patterns are classified by the dimension of 'classical view', 'socio-economic view', 'modern view' and 'philanthrophic view'. This result will attribute to develop theories, social work practice program and social worker' training program related corporate philanthropy. And to give facilities for lucid communication among practice and theory in social work field as it materializes the explicit conception of corporate philanthropy that is understood ambiguously in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.66 no.4
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• pp.53-75
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• 2014

The current status of Korean social work can be summarized as multiple complexities and ambiguities not only in ideological but in practical aspects. Although they have long been considered as an unique feature of social work as one of representative human service professions, the extent of such complexities are now reaching the culmination enough to raise the questions about the very nature of social work practice. This study aims to analyse such ambiguities and complexities around the field of social work in a systematic ways with the theory of liquid modernization, an creative framework for modern society, coined by Zygmunt Bauman who is now considered as one of the leading sociologist and thinker. The study shows clearly that social work in Korea is nowadays entering the phase of liquid modern society and specific features of liquidity of modern society such as consumerism, privatization, corruption of publicity etc are founded in the areas of social work. To make it worse, social work are thinking about the anachronical response to this flow of liquidity by selecting the strategies useful in solid modern era, not in the liquid one. In this context, the study suggests that social work practice have to prepare to adequate measures to secure its own autonomy and sustain genuine identification from the ruthless melting power of liquid modern society.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.67 no.4
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• pp.301-324
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• 2015

The main focus of the study is to find out the origin of the case management in social work and relevant background and context around it, by using the method of genealogy, an historical framework or perspective developed by Foucault, French social philosopher. The reasons of the study are two fold : First, why the case management can be established as a major strategy of social work field in such a very short time. Second, since the case management has been accepted, why it has been reported ceaselessly that a lot of case managers have experienced the severe stress and sufferings in carrying out the case management practice. The results of the study shows that the case management is partly a very social device needed in the late 20th century to manage the social work resources and manpower efficiently, which might be against the genuine social work's mission and idealism. In a conclusion, to retrieve the genuine identities of social work profession, not only the practice case management should be cautious to tendency of management and control inherited in it but also be balanced by the traditional ideals of human emancipation and liberation.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.169-196
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• 2006

As social work practice for the disabled is still centered in provider's perspective in Korea, this study started with concerns for consumerism that is emerging as an alternative for the social work practice for the disabled. Consumerism is rooted in organization process of the disability rights movement, and considered as an ideology that protects actively the rights and influence of consumers. However, consumerism is not operating as an accomplished ideology yet, but as a type of the practical discourse. Consumerism is interpreted in multiaxial meanings and the conscituents of consumerism is used ambiguously in practice. This is because theoretical reviews on the conceptual thinking of consumerism are scant and empirical inquiries into conceptual cognition of social workers who uses this concept as a professional are scarce. After analyzing the data using Q methodology, the result shows that social workers' major cognitive types on consumerism perspective consists of four types; Empowerment type, Market-mechanism type, Multi-opening type and Traditional-value type. These types are classified by the dimension of 'specific/extended', 'traditional/reformative' and 'instrumental/autotelic'. This result will attribute to develop consumer-intimate policy, practice program and professional training program and to give facilities for lucid communication among policy, practice field, theory and movement in social welfare for disabled as it materializes the explicit conception of consumerism that is understood ambiguously in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.43
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• pp.328-357
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• 2000

From Foucault's Perspective of power, this study is trying to illuminate the characteristics and limitations of 'empowerment' which is widely accepted as a central value and practice skill of social work. Notwithstanding the superficial consensus on the empowerment, the author shows that it is a confusing concept with contrasting expectations and conflicting methodologies or only a wishful rhetorical jargon. Furthermore, he argues that the empowerment is not just a value-free intervention skill working outside the ruling power but a ruling-discourse or power-mechanism of a liberal society which makes citizens responsible voluntarily. For a theoretical background for these arguments, the 2nd chapter reviews Foucault's theory of power. The 1st part of the 3rd chapter summarizes the historical background of empowerment practice and its methodological characteristics and meanings, the 2nd part reviews the existing critics on the conceptual and practical limitations of empowerment, and the last part reveals, based upon Foucault's theory of power, that the empowerment is a typical mode of ruling power in liberal societies. The author expects that this study may warn the moral and intellectual superiority complex of social work discourse and help stimulate the ethical sensibility and responsibility in social work practice.