Archive Material

The list of social work values and ethics  has been used as a guideline for workers to better serve their clients.  These values include service dignity and worth of the person, social justice, integrity, and competence. These values encourage social workers to seek to help those who may be marginalized by society, find good qualities in each person, be honest with clients by knowing their (worker's) limits, and appreciate the relationships individuals have with each other. This list has aided social workers in their work for years, and is taught repeatedly in college.

Three Cups of Tea

            Three Cups of Tea is a book about Greg Mortenson and his philanthropic efforts in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The book is an excellent example of ethnography because it informs the reader of various ethnicities and customs of the central Asian population. The author explains many of the intricate differences in the native ethnic groups, which is beneficial and necessary for a reader who is unfamiliar with the culture of that region. The author also provides numerous cultural differences that are more obvious, especially to western readers.

            Sometimes it seems that Mortenson has a difficult time fitting in in both the United States and Pakistan. In America, Mortenson couldn’t always relate to the rich people he often interacted and would often wear his clothes he bought from Pakistan. At the event where he met his wife, the wealthy people bought him new clothes while they before the event began. In the years following 9/11, his work with the Muslim communities angered some Americans. Their ignorance and threats almost made him quit his work. Because of his appearance and nationality, Mortenson sometimes had trouble blending in with the Pakistanis, but after he displayed his knowledge of the local customs, language, and religion he was mostly well received. This is especially impressive because he is seen as an infidel to Muslims.  The other provides many examples of cultural clash and Discourse throughout the book, which keeps readers engaged.           

            The author involves readers in central Asian culture by providing explanations of rituals such as the Muslim habit to cleanse oneself before prayer to Allah. One of the best techniques the author uses to keep readers engaged is including the vocabulary of the Pakistanis and Afghans. Most of the time a foreign word (to us) would be defined in English once or twice and then used throughout the book, which makes the reader remember the terms in order to follow the story. Food, drink, and business customs are also explained in detail. This inspirational book is an excellent example of ethnography because of the author’s ability to explain a foreign culture to his audience while simultaneously keeping them engaged. 

Letter

Dear someone in my safe audience,

In my third year writing class we are moving along quickly towards our project. We've been going over some of the basic skills involved, and I have interviewed one person. I transcribed our conversation and pasted it in my blog. Initially, I was unsure about our assignment and the ambiguity made me nervous, but now it is making more sense. I plan on starting to do more after spring break (Heather and I are still unsure of where we want to go). I've already spoken with one professor and gotten permission to interview her. My other professors are helpful, so I'll probably have no problem interviewing them. I'm also going to probably interview a social worker here at Belmont and a senior who is in their second internship. Reviewing some journals and research on the library's database will probably also be part of my plan. I'm anxious to begin and sort of get it over with.

Tate

First interview

I interviewed a social work student, Cara Craig, and asked her about her expectations about the social work profession. When I asked Cara what she expects one of her biggest stresses, she said,

"I think the thing that will stress me out the most is probably when I have to keep my opinion to myself. I’m not very good at that. When there are others who are doing things I don’t necessarily agree with, I think that will be a problem for me, especially if they fall in line with my morals."

 Cara told me she wants to work with children and pregnant teenagers. She said, "Teenagers don’t like to listen to anything adults say, especially when they’re in a stage of rebellion. So I think the fact that they aren’t going to listen and want to do the opposite of whatever you have to say is probably going to stress me out a lot."