Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 January 2009
The history of the development of social work as a professional discipline from its early beginnings in the 1900s to the present time has exhibited two contradictory trends. Sometimes social work has seemed to be the conscience of society. During other periods it seems to have been an apologist for the status quo, devoting its efforts to adjusting clients to the existing social institutions. These trends can be identified by the activity of social work during changing historical periods in the United States as well as by the professional leaders associated with these eras.
1 Kuhn, Theodore S., The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1970.Google Scholar
2 Bronowski, J., The Common Sense of Science, New York: Vintage Books, Random House, 1969Google Scholar. Dahl, Robert A. and Lindblom, Charles E., Politics, Economics and Welfare. New York: Harper, 1958Google Scholar. Polanyi, Michael, Science, Faith and Society, Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1969.Google Scholar
3 Greenwood, Ernest, The Practice of Science and the Science of Practice, Brandeis University Papers in Social Welfare No. 1, Waltham, Massachusetts: Brandeis University, 1960.Google Scholar
4 Hearn, Gordon, Theory Building in Social Work, Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1958Google Scholar. The General Systems Approach: Contributions toward a Holistic Conception in Social Work. Council on Social Work Education, New York, 1969.Google Scholar
5 Richmond, Mary, Friendly Visiting Among the Poor, New York: Macmillan Co., 1899.Google Scholar
6 Richmond, Mary, The Good Neighbor in the Modern City, Philadelphia: Lippincott Co., 1907.Google Scholar
7 Richmond, Mary, Social Diagnosis, New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1917.Google Scholar
8 Richmond, Mary, What is Social Casework? New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1922.Google Scholar
9 Rank, Otto, Will Therapy and Truth and Reality, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1945.Google Scholar
10 Parad, Howard J., Miller, Roger R. et al. , Ego-Oriented Casework: Problems and Perspectives, New York: Family Service Association of America, 1963.Google Scholar
11 Perlman, Helen Harris, Social Casework: A Problem-Solving Method, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1957.Google Scholar
12 Flexner, Abraham, ‘Is Social Work a Profession?’ Proceedings of the National Conference of Charities and Correction, Chicago, 1915.Google Scholar
13 Encyclopedia of Social Work, National Association of Social Workers, 15:348, 1966.Google Scholar
14 Greenwood, Ernest, ‘Attributes of a Profession’, Social Work, 2(3): 46, 1957.Google Scholar
15 1958, op. cit.
16 Goldberg, James V., United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, 303 F. Supplement 935, 1969.Google Scholar
17 James, Wyman V., Supreme Court of the United States, 1971. Appeal from the United States District Court from the Southern District of New York, No. 69, argued October 20, 1970, decided January 12, 1971.Google Scholar