This article describes a qualitative study of 20 feminist social workers’ conceptualizations of spirituality and spiritually influenced practices. A grounded-theory analysis of the interviews uncovered major convergences among the participants’ values and practices, which encouraged the development of a set of practice principles. One such practice principle, which encompasses the commonalities between feminist social work and spiritual values and practices and the desire for holistic approaches, is discussed.
References
1.
Abels, S. L. (Ed.). (2000). Spirituality in social work practice: Narratives for professional helping. Denver, CO: Love.
2.
Agnew, V. (1993). Canadian feminism and women of color. Women’s Studies International Forum, 16, 217-227.
3.
Amato-von Hemert, K. (1994). Should social work education address religious issues? Yes! Journal of Social Work Education, 30, 7-11.
4.
Baines, D. (1997). Feminist social work in the inner city: The challenges of race, class and gender. Affilia, 12, 297-317.
5.
Ballou, M. (1995). Women and spirit: Two nonfits in psychology. Women and Therapy, 16(2-3), 9-20.
6.
Bricker-Jenkins, M. (1989). Foundations of feminist social work practice: The changer and the changed are one. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Fordham University, New York.
7.
Bricker-Jenkins, M. (1991). Conclusion: The propositions and assumptions of feminist social work practice. In M. Bricker-Jenkins, N. R. Hooyman, & N. Gottlieb (Eds.), Feminist social work practice in clinical settings (pp. 271-303). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
8.
Bricker-Jenkins, M. (1994). Feminist practice and breast cancer: “The patriarchy has claimed my right breast…” Social Work in Health Care, 19(3-4), 17-42.
9.
Bricker-Jenkins, M., & Hooyman, N. (1986). A feminist world view: Ideological themes from the feminist movement. In M. Bricker-Jenkins & N. Hooyman (Eds.), Not for women only: Social work practice for a feminist future (pp. 7-22). Silver Spring, MD: National Association of Social Workers.
10.
Brodribb, S. (1992). Nothing mat(t)ers: A feminist critique of postmodernism. Melbourne, Australia: Spinifex Press.
11.
Bullis, R. K. (1996). Spirituality in social work practice. New York: Taylor & Francis.
12.
Canda, E. R. (1998). Afterword: Linking spirituality and social work: Five themes for innovation. Social Thought, 18(2), 97-106.
13.
Carroll, M. (1998). Social work’s conceptualization of spirituality. Social Thought, 18(2), 1-13.
14.
Coates, J. (1991). Putting knowledge for practice into perspective. Canadian Social Work Review, 8, 82-96.
15.
Collins, B. G. (1986). Defining feminist social work. Social Work, 31, 214-219.
16.
Corbin, J. (1986). Qualitative data analysis for grounded theory. In W. C. Chenitz & J. M. Swanson (Eds.), From practice to grounded theory (pp. 91-101). Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley.
17.
Dominelli, L. (1996). Deprofessionalizing social work: Anti-oppressive practice, competencies and postmodernism. British Journal of Social Work, 26, 153-175.
18.
Dominelli, L. (1998). Feminist social work: An expression of universal human rights. Indian Journal of Social Work, 59, 917-929.
19.
Drury Hudson, J. (1997). A model of professional knowledge for social work practice. Australian Social Work, 50, 35-44.
20.
Fawcett, B. (1998). Disability and social work: Applications from poststructuralism, postmodernism and feminism. British Journal of Social Work, 28, 263-277.
21.
Gatens-Robinson, E. (1994). Finding our feminist ways in natural philosophy and religious thought. Hypatia, 9, 207-228.
22.
Germain, G. B., & Gitterman, A. (1996). The life model of social work practice: Advances in theory and practice. New York: Columbia University Press.
23.
Gilgun, J. F. (1994). Hand into glove: The grounded theory approach and social work practice research. In E. Sherman & W. J. Reid (Eds.), Qualitative research in social work (pp. 115-125). New York: Columbia University Press.
24.
Glaser, B. G., & Strauss, A. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory. New York: Aldine.
25.
Goldstein, H. (1999). The limits and art of understanding in social work practice. Families in Society, 80, 385-395.
26.
Gross, E. (1998a). Deconstructing the liberal consensus on what is feminist. Affilia, 13, 143-146.
27.
Gross, E. (1998b). Re-evaluating feminist thought for social work practice. Affilia, 13, 5-8.
28.
Hickson, J., & Phelps, A. (1998). Women’s spirituality: A proposed practice model. Journal of Family Social Work, 2(4), 43-57.
29.
Hirschmann, N. J. (1997). Feminist standpoint as postmodern strategy. Women and Politics, 18(3), 73-92.
30.
Hunt, M. E. (1995). Psychological implications of women’s spiritual health. Women and Therapy, 16(2-3), 21-32.
31.
King, U. (1989). Women and spirituality: Voices of protest and promise. London: Macmillan.
32.
Lundy, M. (1993). Explicitness: The unspoken mandate of feminist social work. Affilia, 8, 184-199.
33.
Marie-Daly, B. (1993). The scream of the butterfly: On reclaiming the feminine divine. Cincinnati, OH: Union Institute.
34.
Mizrahi, T., & Abramson, J. S. (1994). Collaboration between social workers and physicians: An emerging typology. In E. Sherman & W. J. Reid (Eds.), Qualitative research in social work (pp. 135-151). New York: Columbia University Press.
35.
Neu, D. L. (1995). Women’s empowerment through feminist rituals. Women and Therapy, 16(2-3), 185-200.
36.
Ochshorn, J., & Cole, E. (1995). Introduction. Women and Therapy, 16(2-3), 1-4.
37.
Powers, R. (1995). A class that changes lives. Women and Therapy, 16(2-3), 175-183.
38.
Radford Ruether, R. (1995). Feminist metanoia and soul-making. Women and Therapy, 16(2-3), 33-44.
39.
Reinharz, S. (1992). Feminist methods in social research. New York: Oxford University Press.
40.
Ressler, L. (1998). The relation between church and state: Issues in social work and the law. Social Thought, 18(2), 81-95.
41.
Robbins, S., Chatterjee, P., & Canda, E. (1999). Ideology, scientific theory and social work practice. Families in Society, 80, 374-384.
42.
Roberts, J. (1999). Heart and soul: Spirituality, religion and rituals in family therapy training. In F. Walsh (Ed.), Spiritual resources in family therapy (pp. 256-271). New York: Guilford Press.
43.
Russel, R. (1998). Spirituality and religion in graduate social work education. Social Thought, 18(2), 15-29.
44.
Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. London: Sage.
45.
Van Den Bergh, N. (1995). Feminist social work practice: Where have we been… Where are we going? In N. Van Den Bergh (Ed.), Feminist practice in the 21st century (pp. xi-xxxix). Washington, DC: NASW Press.
