Relationship-Based Research in Social Work : Understanding Practice Research

Edited by Gillian Ruch and Ilse Julkunen
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2016,

I write this short notice after a brief look over the Sunday newspapers. Misunderstanding, disconnection, prejudice and sometimes sheer blindness seem to characterise our human relationships. The information technology revolution does not seem to have enabled us to deepen our understanding of making human relationships work. Although this book, technical in its scope, will be used mainly by social work students and practitioners the implications of its methodology are far-reaching.

The book draws on psychodynamic, relational, discourse analytical and systemic understandings of research and practice. The thesis grounded in a range of accessible and stimulating case studies suggests that as we dig deeper into our understanding of roles and relationships we move into the heart of a co-creation of knowledge in practice research. As a teacher and facilitator this collection of 12 essays has enabled me to look at learning and the way in which we are both enabled and disabled into new areas of knowledge by our own limited views and perspectives.

The essays examine a number of case studies of research projects carried out in England and Finland. In an age when we do not examine with enough wisdom and intelligent critique the dependability of sources of knowledge this useful and insightful collection of essays will deepen and integrate knowledge in the teaching of research and practice.