Key Principles Of Post-Colonial Theory And Hospital-Based Social Work

Intro

The following essay will identify the defining key principles of post-colonial theory, third-wave feminist theory and a critique of market liberal theory. This essay will also demonstrate a critical appraisal of the key principles of post-colonial theory, socialist feminist theory and radical feminist theory. Furthermore, this essay will apply these critical theories to the field of hospital-based social work with an evaluation of the scope and limitations of each critical theory. Moreover, this essay will demonstrate a sophisticated analysis of the assumptions about human beings and the social work that are embedded in different critical theory approaches. To conclude, this essay will surmise how these three theoretical approaches will inform this author’s practice as a critical social worker.

#1 According to Ashcroft, Griffiths & Tiffin (2004) post-colonial theory attempts to incorporate the entirety of culture impacted by the imperial process from the moment of colonisation to the present day. This perspective incorporates the consequences of dispossession of land and sovereignty for the colonised

in Australia, those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage.

The limitations (challenges) of applying post-colonial philosophy to hospital-based social work are, in this author’s opinion, twofold. Firstly, there lies a challenge in engaging staff to stray from the dominant discourses associated with the medical model of hospital work and therefore adopting a new framework foreign to the medical paradigm.

Secondly, there lies a challenge in promoting post-colonial principles in an environment where in the past, social workers have contributed to the destabilisation and disempowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families (AASW 2004).

Analysis of the assumptions