Social Work, Performativity and Personalization

This book, which draws from fieldwork research and evidence, is provided to suggest a sense of emotional anxiety among social workers and case managers working on the front-line within local authority social service departments in England. This is taking place within British Prime Minister David Cameron's government agenda of personalization of care. This new emphasis places the onus on the client rather than the gaze of the social worker. Yet, there are contradictions that lie at the heart of social work, social care and personal care. Theories have attempted to detangle these contradictions. There have been a number of theoretical approaches that have attempted to ground the concept of power to understand organisational practice though significant Foucauldian insights that have been most captivating in illuminating power relations and subject positioning. This book is the first of its kind to explore the impact on 'performativity' of social workers and governance (governmentality) of workers and clients in the personalisation policy process.