Includes bibliographical references (p. [249]-269) and indexes.

Introduction -- Social exclusion and social work -- Social work and social exclusion -- The nature of social work -- Knowledge and values, postmodernism and social work -- Need -- Authority and choice -- Empowerment -- Maintenance, social functioning and coping -- Interpretivism, reflection and social work as art -- Social work, science and technical instrumentalism -- Judgement and decision making : practical reasoning, process knowledge and critical thinking -- Social work intervention and human nature -- Conclusion : the discipline of social work.

Electronic reproduction. Palo Alto, Calif. : ebrary, 2013. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ebrary affiliated libraries.