Abstract

This article reports on a retrospective study of social workers experiences and perception of practice during the height of the political conflict in Northern Ireland (1969–1988). The article describes the qualitative research methodology used to access the sample, design of interview schedule and data collection. Data were analysed using an iterative process to highlight emergent themes. Interviews were carried out with twenty-eight social workers who were employed in a range of agencies. The findings explore how social workers routinely had to negotiate access to communities in the midst of this violence, sometimes through paramilitary organisations. Respondents identified a range of coping mechanisms that they had used to make the ‘abnormal normal’. This included adopting apolitical, neutral stances, yet taking risks in the everyday tasks of meeting the needs of individuals and families. There was, however, limited evidence of employers providing support for practitioners, with peer support most prevalent and purposive forms of education and training during this period. The authors argue for greater attention to the skills and knowledge required for interventions with victims and survivors of the conflict and a more holistic approach to the analysis of social work and political conflict across international contexts.

中文翻译：

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“坚持下去”：对北爱尔兰政治冲突期间社会工作者经历的定性研究

摘要

本文报告了对北爱尔兰政治冲突最激烈时期（1969-1988 年）社会工作者经历和实践看法的回顾性研究。本文描述了用于访问样本的定性研究方法、访谈时间表的设计和数据收集。使用迭代过程分析数据以突出新兴主题。对 28 名受雇于一系列机构的社会工作者进行了访谈。调查结果探讨了在这种暴力事件中，社会工作者通常如何谈判进入社区，有时是通过准军事组织。受访者确定了一系列他们用来使“异常正常”的应对机制。这包括采取非政治、中立的立场，在满足个人和家庭需求的日常任务中承担风险。然而，雇主为从业者提供支持的证据有限，在此期间，同伴支持是最普遍和有目的的教育和培训形式。作者主张更多地关注干预冲突受害者和幸存者所需的技能和知识，并采用更全面的方法来分析国际背景下的社会工作和政治冲突。