Chapter 2: The Integrated-perspectives Approach to International Social Work

1. Chapter 2: The Integrated-perspectives Approach to International Social Work

2. Introduction 1. The Integrated-perspectives approach in Fig. 2.1, p. 26 shows the integration of four perspectives: global perspective highlights the unity of the earth (the overall context); the human rights perspective represents the key value base; the ecological perspective reflects the importance of natural world and humanity; and the social development perspective encompasses a component of social work engaged in social development to enhance well-being of the people in society.

3. The Global Perspective • Unity—human beings derive from the same origins, inhabit the same planet and exhibit the same basic needs. • Diversity—The globe is diverse in culture, people, ethnicity, politically, economically and social systems. This diversity can result in competition and even conflict between systems. • Interdependence—all of us identifying our commonalities while drawing on the benefits of our diversity as we strive to achieve mutual goals. • Globalization—All global structures and systems (economic, political, cultural and technological in nature). Globalization from above is globalization imposed on people by macro political and economic structures while globalization form below is like bottom-up development or globalization brought by people and civil society organizations arising from their activities. • Localization—global development requires local-level development to have economic and political foundations. • World Citizenship—not limited to nationality and territory but also protection of international community of human rights, political participation and state responsibility.

4. The Human Rights Perspective • Values and Principles—UN Centre for Human Rights have 8 “philosophical values:” a. life—the worth of life; b. freedom and liberty rights; c. equality and nondiscrimination; d. justice (legal, economic, social); e. solidarity (taking a stand with sufferers and their causes); f. social responsibility (standing and championing causes with sufferers; g. evolution, peace, and nonviolence (achieving harmony); and h. relationships between humankind and nature (to prevent environmental degradation). • Human Rights—civil and political rights was focused on the 18th century, then economic, social and cultural rights. Now, rights to peace, development and clean environment. • Universality—are human rights historically and culturally specific or entirely universal? Human rights should be constructed rather than objectively existing and it’s important to have dialogue, discussion, and exchange to seek universal values. • A Guide to Living and Behavior—human rights are guides for individual behavior (how an individual soldier treats enemy prisoners) to international (how the UN Security Council reaches decisions). The values of human rights are based on teachings of world’s religions.

5. The Ecological Perspective (Dimensions) • Holism and Unity—holistic approach emphasizes unity or oneness between humankind and nature from both a spiritual and practical perspective. • Diversity—Unity or holism is balanced by diversity and nature benefits like humans from diversity. The alternative to diversity is uniformity which is disaster for the ecological perspective. • Equilibrium—The impact of people on the environment must be kept in balance and we can’t assume that mankind’s scientific abilities will offset this issue. • Sustainability—The danger of exhausting resources is real and we need to manage our natural resources and not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their needs as well.

6. The Social Development Perspective (Dimensions) • Value-Based—accepting development of societies and Todaro and Smith (2003) suggest the core values of sustenance—the ability to meet basic needs; self-esteem—to be a person; and freedom from servitude—to be able to choose. Cox also added participation and social integration. • Proactive Intervention—Social development of a society that reflects values of social development and interventions that improve the status quo of all populations. • Multidimensional—social development is multidimensional in two meanings of the term: a) recognition of the importance of economic, social, political, cultural, legal, and ecological dimensions of society’s life and seeks to develop all of these areas; b) the social structures, social relations, social processes, and social values of society need to be considered whenever social development is considered. • Multilevel—social development needs to be implemented at all levels from local, regional, national or state, to global.

7. The Integrated-Perspectives Approach as a Whole • The model (Fig. 2.2, p.38) (global, human rights, ecological and social development perspectives) used as integrated-perspectives approach is a tool for analysis of any international social work situation, an approach to determine cause and consequences of past events, a model to identify possible responses and their consequences, and an overview of the actual intervention process. • Justification of the Approach—in addition to globalization, human rights needs, environmental concerns, placing social work within a context of a vision or goals for social development, we can also add feminist or gender perspective especially within human rights and social development areas.

8. The Integrated-Perspectives Approach and Existing Social Work Theories • Human rights perspective reflects ethics and values in social work. • Ecological perspective is similar to social work assessment and intervention models emanating from the ecological perspective like system theory, ecological systems, or life model theories. • Social development perspective is similar to social work to community development models. • Global perspective is similar to social work renewed focus on structural issues since global perspective focuses on global economic and political structures. Use of all perspectives and models will increase the effectiveness of social work interventions.

9. The Application of the Integrated-Perspectives Approach to International Social Work • Worker’s Orientation—social workers would benefit from adopting the integrated approach. • Situation Analyses—a. Global—macro to micro level issues. Is the state marginalizing its people for globalization reasons? Is the treatment of people dependent on international pharmaceutical companies? b. Human rights—What are the abuses? Why is it important to identify abuse? c. Ecological—Are the presenting problems been contributed to the ecological factors? Is poverty forcing people to destroy the environment? d. Social Development—Is the development inadequate? Does the development favor urban areas, one industry over others, particular classes of people or is there corruption and inefficiency? • Planning Intervention—the strategy needs to be people-centered; contain a remedial component that includes as many people as possible to participate in the social development; planned with the natural environment; plan for human rights and understand past human rights abuse; consider the situation from global perspective and obtain UN or other governmental body assistance; and utilize social development approach with people-centered and educational focus approaches. • Implementation of the Plan—implementation is not just the key phase or end goal, but it is also people analyzing their situation and gaining confidence through slight progress, developing skills, and getting outsiders to acknowledge their reality and demonstrating empathy.

10. Conclusion • Our professional belief is that our professional activities should be guided by values, beliefs and understandings. • All four perspectives (global, human rights, ecological and social development) make up the integrated-perspectives and all are very important and all four need to be applied within an integrated approach. Q: Think about your field placement, are the social workers using the integrated-perspectives approach? Which parts of this approach do they use and which ones are not used?