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Abstract
This paper reflects on the purpose of community work, particularly as practiced in the most vulnerable communities in the global North, where marginalization, exclusion and oppression are experienced viscerally after forty years of neo-liberalism. Foregrounding the relational nature of community work, it posits the view that practice must be infused with hope, and that the most radical way to achieve this is to demonstrate our love of humanity in all our interactions with oppressed individuals and groups in these communities.
An approach to embedding professionally loving practice in community work is explored and critiqued, repositioning Freire’s ‘pedagogy of love’ at the centre of purposive, transformational community work in late modernity. Also drawing from other radical writers’ evocations to similar forms of practice, the paper foregrounds the view that professional love should be at the core of radical, hope-inducing community work practice.
The views of one hundred community work practitioners, elicited through their participation in an online survey, are presented. Their contributions demonstrate that there is considerable support for the view that love should feature as a central element of radical community work practice, offering a grounding to be optimistic in these ‘troubled times’. Findings form the survey are presented, identifying some of the ways in which respondents exemplify professional love in their practice, highlighting the benefits of professional love and raising important questions about the potential pitfalls in this approach.
An approach to embedding professionally loving practice in community work is explored and critiqued, repositioning Freire’s ‘pedagogy of love’ at the centre of purposive, transformational community work in late modernity. Also drawing from other radical writers’ evocations to similar forms of practice, the paper foregrounds the view that professional love should be at the core of radical, hope-inducing community work practice.
The views of one hundred community work practitioners, elicited through their participation in an online survey, are presented. Their contributions demonstrate that there is considerable support for the view that love should feature as a central element of radical community work practice, offering a grounding to be optimistic in these ‘troubled times’. Findings form the survey are presented, identifying some of the ways in which respondents exemplify professional love in their practice, highlighting the benefits of professional love and raising important questions about the potential pitfalls in this approach.
Original language | English |
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Number of pages | 32 |
Journal | Radical Community Work Journal |
Volume | 4 |
Issue number | 1 |
Publication status | Published - 31 Jan 2020 |
Keywords
- Professional Love
- Hope
- Community development
- Pedagogy of love
- Transformation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
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- 1 Membership of external research organisation
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Love Research Network (External organisation)
Purcell, M. (Member) & Gratzke, M. (Chair)
1 Jan 2018 → 31 Dec 2028Activity: Membership types › Membership of external research organisation