‘Listen Very Carefully, We Will Say This Only Once (Again)’ Dead Ends to Politicisation in Social Work

This article explores the significance of politicisation in social work and its role in challenging power dynamics and promoting transformative change. It is viewed as a means to challenge established power structures, raise awareness of issues and engage in political action. Three pitfalls are identified in the way politicisation is conceptualised and used. First, there is a tendency to define politicisation too broadly. The authors assert that politicisation should involve challenging the existing system rather than merely making modifications. Secondly, the belief in consensus thinking about democracy is criticised, as it overlooks power imbalances inherent in politics. The authors advocate for an agonistic politics approach, where ideological opponents engage in a struggle over competing values and interests within a shared democratic space. Lastly, the adoption of subpolitics as a politicising strategy, which focuses on individual actions, is deemed inadequate as it often fails to address structural inequalities. Instead, the authors propose prefigurative politics, which involves creating concrete collective interventions that anticipate and embody a different society in the present. In conclusion, this article underscores the importance of understanding its distinct meaning and strategies. The authors suggest agonistic and prefigurative politics as a promising framework for politicising practices in social work. Discover the power of politicisation in social work as a catalyst for transformative change in society. In this thought-provoking article, the authors delve into the significance of questioning dominant frames and inequality, challenging established power structures and engaging individuals in political action. By exploring the pitfalls in the development of politicisation, they shed light on the need to go beyond broad definitions and mere modifications, advocating instead for a disruptive and dissensual approach that challenges power imbalances. They emphasise the importance of recognising conflicts of interest and the inherent dissensus in politics, urging a shift towards an agonistic politics approach. Furthermore, the authors caution against the adoption of subpolitics, which may fail to address power relations and structural inequalities adequately. Instead, they propose prefigurative politics, a framework that encourages the creation of concrete collective interventions that anticipate and embody a different society in the present.