Street Social Work, Neoliberal Urbanism, and the Production of Space: Methodological Challenges, Ethical Contradictions, and Potentials
Neoliberal urban trends such as commercialization, privatization, securitization, and restricted access in the organization of public spaces have profoundly shaped the practice of street social work. Two main issues arise in this context. First, neoliberal strategies that transform urban public spac...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | deu |
| Published: |
Istanbul University Press
2024-12-01
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| Series: | İstanbul Üniversitesi Sosyoloji Dergisi |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://cdn.istanbul.edu.tr/file/JTA6CLJ8T5/481E08B61B7C4E1D8C1D9C58B18C3751 |
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| Summary: | Neoliberal urban trends such as commercialization, privatization, securitization, and restricted access in the organization of public spaces have profoundly shaped the practice of street social work. Two main issues arise in this context. First, neoliberal strategies that transform urban public spaces negatively impact both the everyday experiences of the street population and the methodologies employed in street social work. Second, ethical contradictions emerge when street social work is instrumentalized within discourses of security and public order. Street social work is a low-threshold, outreach-based practice where professionals actively engage with clients in public spaces, aiming to establish contact, foster connections, and reduce harm. While this approach has the potential to address social inequalities by reaching vulnerable individuals and groups, it can also involve interventions that lead to control and normative pressures. As a result, street social work occupies a contradictory position, balancing between the state’s public order policies and its core mission to defend the rights of marginalized populations. This study examines the contradictions and potentials of street social work within urban public spaces, particularly in the context of neoliberal urbanism. The analysis draws on Lefebvre’s concepts of the “production of space” and the “right to the city.” Within this framework, the study explores the role of street social work in public spaces, its potential impacts, and the ethical and methodological challenges that arise during its implementation. The study is grounded in a critical analysis of the social function of public space, neoliberal strategies for urban transformation, security policies, and social service practices. Adopting a critical and reflexive perspective on methodology and professional ethics, this article highlights the role street social work can play in advocating for a more equitable urban environment. |
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| ISSN: | 2667-6931 |