The Altruistic Imagination - by John Ehrenreich (Paperback)

About the Book

Social work and social policy in the United States have always had a complex and troubled relationship. In this book, John H. Ehrenreich offers a critical interpretation of their intertwined histories.

Book Synopsis

Social work and social policy in the United States have always had a complex and troubled relationship. In The Altruistic Imagination, John H. Ehrenreich offers a critical interpretation of their intertwined histories, seeking to understand the problems that face these two vital institutions in American society.Ehrenreich demonstrates that the emphasis of social work has always vacillated between individual treatment and social reform. Tracing this ever-changing focus from the Progressive Era, through the development of the welfare state, the New Deal, and the affluent 1950s and 1960s, into the administration of Ronald Reagan, he places the evolution of social work in the context of political, cultural, and ideological trends, noting the paradoxes inherent in the attempt to provide essential services and reflect at the same time the intentions of the state. He concludes by examining the turning point faced by the social work profession in the 1980s, indicated by a return to casework and a withdrawal from social policy concerns.

Review Quotes

Ehrenreich's respect for the profession of social work is demonstrated by his careful analysis of the various schools of thought--the painstaking unraveling of the two tangled threads of social control and social reform. Ehrenreich patiently considers the complicated intellectual framework of social work, respecting the complexity of the issues involved while at the same time proposing a provocative and unified thesis.

About the Author

John H. Ehrenreich is Professor of Psychology at SUNY College at Old Westbury. He is the author of The Humanitarian Companion and coauthor of Long March, Short Spring: The Student Uprising at Home and Abroad.