Who is the real fraud here? Neo-liberal social work and the imposter phenomenon

Author:
Jessica Urwin University of Leicester, UK

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Research Article
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© Policy Press 2024
Online Publication Date:
27 Mar 2023
Pages:
103–117
Publisher:
Policy Press
Volume/Issue:
Volume 12: Issue 1
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1332/204986023X16774921984503
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The neo-liberalisation of social work has been heavily criticised, with value conflicts and different interpretations of the purpose of social work being key aspects of this. However, little research has considered the impact of the neo-liberalisation of social work on an individual level, understanding how this ideology impacts day-to-day practice. This article uses the imposter phenomenon as a proxy issue to understand the impact of neo-liberalism on social workers. Factors that contribute to, and diminish experiences of, the imposter phenomenon are identified, and links are made between these and the key aspects of neo-liberalism. Through establishing the impact of the imposter phenomenon on individuals, strategies to overcome this are suggested. However, it is argued that without structural and ideological development, the tensions within social work will remain.

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Jessica Urwin University of Leicester, UK

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