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Critical and Radical Social Work
An international journal

Looking back to look forward: a collaborative autoethnographic study of the effects of neoliberalism on social work practice, education and research

Authors: Catherine S. Kramer1, Darren Cosgrove2, and Jonah DeChants3
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  • 1 University at Albany, State University of New York, , USA
  • | 2 Miami University, , USA
  • | 3 Colorado State University, , USA
Article Category:
Research Article
Copyright:
© Policy Press 2021
Online Publication Date:
18 Oct 2021
Pages:
1–18
Publisher:
Policy Press
Volume/Issue:
Early View
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1332/204986021X16312859640544
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Neoliberalism emerged as a powerful force across the globe, adding market-based pressures to social work practice, education and research. Using a collaborative autoethnographic approach, we reflected on neoliberalism’s impact on our professional and academic experiences in US-based social work. Disconnection characterised our collective experiences of neoliberal social work across practice, research and education. The effects of this collective disconnecting emerged in three themes: (1) commodification; (2) compliance; and (3) disillusionment. We offer recommendations on how the field of social work can resist neoliberalism’s effects and encourage: (1) recentring social work practice, education and research around social work values; (2) a strategic use of self to form connections between the personal and the professional; and (3) the adoption of collective impact as the model for social work education and research.

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Catherine S. Kramer1, Darren Cosgrove2, and Jonah DeChants3
  • 1 University at Albany, State University of New York, , USA
  • | 2 Miami University, , USA
  • | 3 Colorado State University, , USA

ckramer@albany.edu
cosgrod@miamioh.edu
jonah.dechants@colostate.edu

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