International Social Work as Social Representations : The Relation with Practitioners’ Narratives in the Development Context

シャカイテキ　ヒョウショウ　ト　シテ　ノ　コクサイ　ソーシャル　ワーク　カイハツ　ノ　ブンミャク　ニ　オケル　ジッセンカ　ノ　カタリ　トノ　セッテン　ヲ　メグッテ

ヒガシダ, マサテル

Higashida, Masateru

社会構成主義

協働的実践

アイデンティティ

social reality

social constructionism

collaborative practice

identity

This paper explores how the social realities of international social work are constructed from the perspective of social representation theory whilst also examining the narratives of Japanese social workers involved in international development. Given the process of familiarising international social work, it would be related to practitioners’ narratives and stories; yet it may not have been clearly familiarised and permeated amongst many stakeholders. However, this does not necessarily mean that international social work requires a universal or monophonic social representation. This paper discusses the significance of collaborative practice and dialogue amongst practitioners with different positionalities in co-constructing alternative discourses and social realities.