Social work values, professional unity, and the South African context

As a subsystem of society, the profession of social work reflects the conflicting value systems at play in the broader social context. In South Africa a spectrum of social work associations have in the past and continue in the present to mirror the different value positions evident in wider South African society. The present period of social transition has stimulated debate among South African social workers concerning this divergence and subsequent lack of unity within the profession. However, such debate has failed to pay adequate attention to the effect on professional unity of the interplay among historical and sociopolitical forces, different value dimensions, and the broader social context. This article highlights this interrelationship and the complexities of forging professional unity among social workers in South Africa.