The importance of critical multiculturalism for social workers

The theories related to the critical multiculturalism often take a backseat in the life of social workers because they feel that it leads them towards a differentiation.  They feel that the practice of these theories or the wisdom associated with multicultural contexts can bring in a kind of partiality in their behavior towards a certain group of people. As a professional in the field of social service, this sympathy can become a factor behind the distraction. For instance, it can force a social servant to deny the “principle of the distributive justice” and favor an individual on the merits of the cast, creed or the color of the skin (Olsaretti, 2018).

However, many experts believe that theories related to the critical multiculturalism can add a special touch in the work of a social servant. These theories can help a social servant in understanding the complexities of an alien culture from a different and professional point of view.  This parallel point of view suggests that in order to understand and practice an antiracist behavior an individual should have an in-depth knowledge of certain pointers that can force him to act like a racist unknowingly (Monahan, 2018). In the current essay, I am trying to understand my position in the field of social service under the context of the application of critical multiculturalism theories. During the course of this self-exploration journey, I will try to judge myself objectively and check the fact that how my worldview and other cultural notions can help in delivering the best and where they are preventing me and heading me towards a biasness while rendering my services to the society.

Most of the theories connected to social service primarily teach us about bringing in parity among society. On the basis of my exposure to the social service initiatives in Australia, I can figure out that most of the development schemes and the frameworks related to the motivation are aimed at securing parity among the aboriginals, natives, underprivileged people and people living in the mainstream society. The mantra of “Education is the force of emancipation” forms the crux of most of the welfare schemes (Kohli, 2010). As a social servant an individual wants to look after the circumstances that can prevent an individual from getting a proper education.  The definition of the education is not confined to the literacy alone. It covers two broader perspectives on life. Skills required to earn a livelihood are a part of education, life enrichment in terms of hygiene and other social customs is also an education (Boyle, 2001). The third part of education is the most important and sensitive part. Training someone to follow a different culture and thought the process can be a different exercise. When you are making them literate you are not adding a new perspective in their worldview, when they are learning a vocational skill or any other skill, it is again for them. However, when we try to introduce them to a new culture then we sometimes tell them to unlearn a few things from their native culture (Ando, 2017). This need for unlearning can change the output of the exercise completely.  We often need cultural competence to handle these situations. International and global organizations are paying a lot of attention to this concept of cultural competence (Segal, 2017).  

Gaining cultural competence in social service

While practicing my skills gained through education I realized a hard fact, this hard fact forms the core of my knowledge related to the concept of cultural competence. It is cardinal fact of life that none of us is a culture free individual. We realize that we are following a culture when we see it from the perspective of the others (Nylund, 2008). On this merit, for the purpose of a broader definition, we can divide the Australian population into two fractions. First, the fraction is the fraction of the people that believe in the values of the western culture. The second fraction of the individuals belongs to the people that are following native culture. Aboriginal culture or native culture is not inferior to the western culture (Abrams, 2013). However, in the present world, after the evolution of STEM and other branches of education, western culture is more synchronized with the amenities of life.  My personal cultural competence suggests me that I should never consider anything superior or inferior because it is different from my own value systems. Everything has its own merits and demerits and it should be judged on a comparative level (Ladson-Billings, 2010). The USA presented a poignant example in front of us; the concept of the American dreams unified this country in a mixed culture. The feeling of the nationalism was the binding factor of this culture. The clash between the native culture and western culture in Australia can be managed in the same fashion. Educators can find a middle path to avoid culture based clashes (Handy, 2016).

In the present world, most of the intellectual citizens of the world are talking about a global culture. One can say that this global culture is superior to the western culture. The answer is no, global culture is a culture where the best of cultural traits of the world is put together so that an individual can move ahead in a different domain or universe (Garran, 2013). As a social servant and as a dignified global citizen I am learning to add a few personality traits in me to become a global citizen. In the same fashion, I expect aboriginal people to learn a few things from a diverse culture and move ahead in mainstream life (Jack, 2010). I am also keen to learn global culture so that I can meet with the experts of the same field living in different parts of the world. I never get this feeling that by following the western thought process of education that I am practicing is inferior to the global practices. However, it is different and it needs improvement so that it can accommodate new thought processes and cultures.

Cultural competence at a micro model

The theories of multiculturalism allow us to handle the difference in the culture of the service taker and service giver with the help of the development of some service models (Sousa, 2016). When we compare a service model developed under the multiculturalism theories with a regular model then we find that the inclusion of culturally responsive practices makes a difference. Responsive practices sometimes denote to small customs that one should learn. For instance, many Indians prefer to greet new people by folding their palms closer to the chest. It is a custom for them. In the western culture, we prefer to go for a handshake.  Any Indian not reciprocating a handshake is not uncivilized or rude. Their culture based training does not allow them to handshake. As professional social service providers, an organization has to keep an eye on these nuances and a list of culturally responsive practices should be maintained (Azzopardi, 2016). In the case of Australia, we can also understand this responsiveness with the help of the training manuals of a doctor dealing the medicine.

 Most of these doctors take resort in universal language to understand the communication of their patients. Think about an aboriginal kid, unaware of English, how he will communicate abdomen pain to a doctor. More importantly, how will doctor help him in giving the right answer? Language is not a tool; it is a culture in itself. The answer to this question lies in the concept of universal language (Borne, 2014).

The books of psychology tell us about a universal language, this is the first language that we learn in our life. Our second language in life is our native language. As a social service provider, an organization or the individual should try to have a basic command in the native language. On an organizational level, the procedures to facilitate language aids can also be implemented.

When we check the barrier of the language in the field of education then it becomes even fierce. The clash between the native language and the language of the education becomes a barrier in the learning process. This problem can also be studied under the head of cultural competence (Bennett, 2011).

What is true for language is also true for native culture as well; every second culture that we learn in our life demands training. As a social servant, the application of the critical theories related to the multiculturalism instructs me to come up with an approach where apply the fundamentals of training while educating the section of the society that needs reforms.

At a micro level, most of the organizations create certain protocols to facilitate the service model. However, it should be aimed at the creation of an open cultural space where an interaction among the service providers and service takers can be facilitated. Unlike a regular exercise of education giving, an open and equal partnership should be maintained among the two parties. Every point of view should be given equal importance.  It should be done on the levels of the planning. Knowledge building sessions among the participants should be conducted before the implementation of the actual programs.  An open cultural space can bring down the language and culture related barriers quite considerably.

In the field of education, we can pinpoint a big barrier related to the lack of this open cultural space. Most of the researches done in the field of education as a social service often serve a western world point of view. They answer the questions raised by the western school of thoughts. An open cultural space can be created by launching certain research programs to answer a few questions from the point of view of the aboriginal people and other underprivileged sections of the society.

There is a slight difference between inspiring someone and intimidating someone. Sometimes the overzealousness of a social worker can cause a drastic displacement in the life of an individual. The understanding of the cross-cultural issues allows a social worker to fix his or her limits. It also allows him to push the bars at the right time. For instance, in the field of education, we cannot fix strict goals for a person who is traveling through the cultures. It will take him some time to understand the worth of knowledge or a skill in the new world. While judging the academic performance of such subjects, an individual should think about the cultural background of the individual as well. Sometimes a non-performance in can bring in the threat of the marginalization for an individual. We should judge the individual on his or her activity level, IQ and EQ. While developing a question paper or a set of tests, these cultural handicaps should be kept in mind (Borne, 2014).

Sometimes the hangover that an individual belongs to a privileged class kills the basic purpose of the exercise of service giving, as a professional social worker, one should practice the highest order of professionalism. My self-assessment often gives me this indicates that sometimes this thought of “philanthropy done by a privileged person” crosses my mind. This thought has the potential to kill the essence of the service. Social service is a profession where you need a logical brain and an emotional heart. It is a profession where the profits cannot be measured accurately in terms of the profits or other means.  Problems like discrimination and biases can make an entry in this condition (Ando, 2017). A professional outlook on the issue is always needed.  

What I am facing is a social identity crisis; the same social identity crisis can also envelop a person who is receiving the service.  Sometimes the receivers of the services also start feeling that they belong to a privileged class. In terms of sociology this practice or the mindset is known as “acceptance of a new privileged status because of the deficiency.” As a professional social worker one has to look at this condition from two different perspectives. First, the purpose of the exercise is not to create a privileged section of the society, the purpose of the exercise is to bring parity in the structure of the society (Handy, 2016). The second perspective is related to the emancipation of the service taker. Anyone enjoying a special or a privileged status due to a deficiency or a social evil will not emancipate. He will become dependent on the facilities that he is availing from the deal. He can also become a burden on the society in the future course of the development. It is reverse supremacist sense that can capture an individual. Australia as a country has a proud track record in the field of the welfare of the socially underprivileged class. In the past, certain rules were made in order to protect the aboriginal people and black people from a racial slur. After a point of time, a reverse trend came in existence. Under this trend line, certain aboriginal or indigenous people started misusing their rights against bullying to threaten normal people.

It is an ugly face of the cross-cultural interaction. A professional social service giver should identify these positions of advantages and try to introduce parity with the help of education. The creation of the open cultural spaces holds some of the answers (Boyle, 2001).

Conclusion:  

The social service for the underprivileged section of the society is a privilege given by the state and other social bodies. However, a social servant should present it as an education. It should sound plausible to all ahead of the cross-cultural conflicts. Language can serve as big barriers because sometimes it can eclipse the other traits of an individual because he or she is not able to express them properly. Another issue is connected with the position of the receiver, education and other services should not be served as a privilege they should be served as a support. Many experts believe that whiteness or white people sometimes feel a supremacy over the others, however, with the arrival of the global culture this concept has become obsolete. Aboriginal people and others are learning western ways of life. Westerner or the whites, on the other hand, are learning the global ways. It is not black or white anymore, it is a multicultural umbrella which is covering the world of social service in Australia.  

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