Constructing Causal Accounts in Social Work

Abstract

Causal accounts are a relatively neglected aspect of occupational discourse. Using the example of social work, it is argued that the metaphor of narrative drama may have led to a framework in which the inspection of causal texture is not central to the analytic task. Starting from the literature on accounts, we argue that a promisingly fruitful way of exploring issues of social work talk and causality is through ethnography. Preliminary directions are outlined towards an ethnography of causal accounting within professional discourse in social work, and we identify incidents and events that may be investigated as possible `triggers' for such accounting. Causal accounts are viewed in part as occupational `survival kits'. We speculate on possible implications of such an ethnography for thinking about social work practice and management.