Power Relations between Local Government and the Community: Reflections of a Community Worker as an Intellectual

• Main Authors: Chen Yu-Hsin, 陳鈺欣
• Other Authors: Huang Yen-Yi
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2007
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/rr6gvs

碩士 === 長榮大學 === 社會工作學系碩士班 === 95 === This thesis aims to explore the power relations between local government and the community based upon my work experience as a social worker with the community in Kaohsiung County. Some key turning points and themes are also highlighted, including the role and position of community workers, the contradictory and interdependent relationships which exist between the community, professionals and the state, and the influence of the state on the community arena. In this study, the thoughts of Gramsci and Said on intellectuals are drawn upon to provide a body of knowledge to account for the role of professionals in the community, especially those with a social work training background. Some reflections emerge from an examination of the qualitative changes in styles, projects and strategies of the community involvement of social workers from 1989 to the present day in Kaohsiung County. First, it is argued that it is important to improve the marginal position of “community work” both in practice and in the academic field of social work. Secondly, it is argued that community workers have to be sensible about the power relations between local government and the community. Thirdly, professionals in the community arena should work as organic intellectuals and embody humanistic sentiments and disinterestedly seek the truth as suggested by Gramsci and Said.