Doing, describing and documenting : inscription and practice in social work

Social service--Research--Methodology;Actor-network theory

Doyle, Rosemary ; Townley, Barbara ; Townley, Barbara

University:University of St Andrews

Department:Management (School of )

关键词: Social service--Research--Methodology;    Actor-network theory;   

Others  :  https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/10023/766/Rosemary%20Doyle%20PhD%20thesis.PDF?sequence=3&isAllowed=y

来源: DR-NTU

【 摘 要 】

The thesis explores the role of inscription in the management of social work and theeffect of this on front-line practice. Inscription is a response to current trends in publicsector management, in particular the focus on transparency, accountability andperformance management, which drive an increasing demand for the documentation ofwork in areas of professional practice, traditionally assumed to be at odds withcodification. The research investigates the effect of new documenting procedures insocial work, specifically, the introduction of a ‘standard assessment format’ andresponses to this by social work practitioners. The thesis uses a constructivist theoreticalframework drawn from Actor Network Theory, which understands inscription as aperformative technology, which is used to manage the process and content of practicethrough representation and translation. The thesis is based upon an exploratory, criticalcase study in a Local Authority Children and Families Social Work Service betweenNovember 2004 and May 2006. The thesis explores the translations between practice(doing), articulation (describing) and textual representation (documenting). For front-linepractitioners, practice is understood as the ‘doing’ of work whilst the ‘describing’ and‘documenting’ of work are categorised as secondary, bureaucratic concerns, with nomaterial effect on the core processes and outcomes of social work practice. The researchindicates that social work practice is in fact is a series of practices, which include thedoing, describing and documenting of work. The research suggests that theconceptualisation of practice as ‘doing’, rather than ‘describing’ and ‘documenting’ workdetermines practitioner responses to the use of inscription in managing social workpractice.