Under the Cover of Kindness: The Invention of Social Work

By Leslie Margolin

In Under the Cover of Kindness, Leslie Margolin looks at how this country's social welfare system developed and with what results. From his detailed examination of social work texts, primarily case histories, he argues persuasively that social work disguises its own assumptions and claims to power as a way of further legitimizing its actions. By attending to these case histories, Margolin shows how social work entails not only the intrusion into the previously private space of the home but also the constant justification of this intervention - to both clients and workers themselves - as representing charitable and disinterested help. This book critically assesses how social workers invent themselves as they simultaneously invent their field of knowledge.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0813917131
• ISBN13: 9780813917139
• Release Date: May 1997
• Publisher: University of Virginia Press
• Length: 216 Pages
• Weight: 1.42 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.5" x 9.6"
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

In praise of Margolin

Given the dearth of critical analyses of social work, it is all the more refreshing to encounter a work as well-written and thought-provoking as Margolin's "Under the Cover of Kindness." His geneological analysis of some of the artifacts and practices of the "profession" throughout its existence left me questioning both the discipline and my own practice. This book will likely be quickly dismissed by many social workers, will be deeply disturbing for most, and for a very few, I suspect, may even prove to be quite validating. Although it should be required reading for social workers, I have to say that I wouldn't wish it on everyone. If you are looking for something to comfort and encourage your professional self, this isn't it. If, however, you are looking for something to help you begin to explore some of the nagging discomfort and dissonance you feel about social work, this is a good place to start.