The nature of the interdisciplinary establishment of the social work theory and practice

Abstract

The complexity of the problems which are directly approached by the professional social work through the very nature of its own activities requires necessarily the interdisciplinarity of its theoretical-methodological foundation. Dealing with the numerous aspects of human needs and problems (individuals, groups and communities alike) within the context of a complex network of social controversies, is a certain cause for making the science of social work build its foundations on the interdisciplinary presence of a number of scientific disciplines, such as philosophy, sociology, social policy, psychology, pedagogy, medicine etc. The condition necessary for the theory and practice of social work to maintain their own distinctive identity and scientific authenticity with the information taken from the related scientific fields, without the favorization and bringing of social work down to some of the mentioned disciplines, would be to have the experiences gained by other scientific branches, accepted and mutually firmly synthesized in the entirety of the social work science, receive quite a new quality in the form of a devised theoretical system, a system conformant to this humanitary activity only that is its substance, principles and methods used.

Od prvih pokušaja s kraja prošlog veka pa sve do danas, naučna konceptualizacija i teorijsko-metodološko utemeljenje humanistički zasnovane profesije socijalnog rada, nužno prolaze metamorfozu stalno preispitujućih i razlikama obojenih pristupa ovoj oblasti. Zavisno od konkretnog perioda u razvoju nauke socijalnog rada, određeni teorijski pravac, škola i učenje svoje temelje grade na različitim naučnim disciplinama, pri čemu u prvi plan svakako dolaze one koje iz najrazličitijih uglova sagledavaju čoveka u njegovoj kompleksnosti društvenih uslova i odnosa. Na taj način, teorija socijalnog rada sintetiše, za svoje sopstveno utemeljenje neophodna naučna saznanja iz oblasti filozofije, sociologije, socijalne politike psihologije, pedagogije, medicine i mnogih drugih nauka, poprimajući tako interdisciplinarni karakter.