Social network | Social justice | Social reform | Social policy | Social welfare

Q. 5. Write short notes on any five of the following in about 100 words each:

a) Social network

Scott (1996) described a social network as “any articulated pattern of connection in the social relations of individuals, groups and other collectivities” The term originated in the l930s when social scientists started using the terms such as ‘web’, ‘fabric’, etc. to metaphorically indicate the interweaving and interlocking nature of social relationships. These words were initially used by Radcliff Brown in Anthropology, and later by Jacob L. Moreno who used a diagram (a sociogram) to depict a social network. It was George Homans, in the year 1951 who formalised the network metaphor giving it a distinct methodology. 

The basic idea underlying the network analysis is the interconnection of different points (nodes) by lines, and the pattern of lines which connect these points can be mathematically processed. In Social Work parlance, a ‘network’ refers to social interconnections among various like minded voluntary organizations (VOs), community based organizations (CBOs) / non-governmental organizations (NGOs) engaged in the pursuit of similar objectives, created with a view to working together in a coordinated and effective manner. Such an understanding will assist in increasing their effectiveness through their webbed existence and coordinated functioning.

b) Social justice

Social Justice Justice is the hallmark of any civilized society. fiat justicia ruat coleum (let heavens fall, justice has to be done) has been the guiding principle followed by all civilized societies. Aristotle perceived justice as a “virtue of the soul distributing that which each person deserved”. Its origin, according to Cicero, is traced to the divine law of eternal and immutable morality, making people duty bound. The term justice is too broad that it eludes any precise definition (Dias; 1985). The nature and form as also the methods and manners of administration and systems of justice vary depending upon the values and norms prevailing at a point in time, in a particular society. 

These systems, broadly speaking, take two approaches: protective – safeguarding people against abuse and exploitation, and promotive – creating such conditions in society as may spontaneously ensure equality, freedom, fraternity and provide special opportunities to those who for some reason lag behind and are out of the mainstream. The term ‘justice’ is used in two senses: the abstract – referring to a code of conduct, legal as well as moral, which promotes people’s welfare, and the concrete – denoting the faithful implementation of existing laws. Justice gives rise to a sense of duty and concern for others, as well as creates and sustains trust and confidence among people. Not only does it generate an atmosphere of peace and tranquility, but it also sustains law and order thereby optimizing the personal and social functioning.

c) Social reform

In every society, cultural degeneration sets in of some point of time, particularly when its followers forget the basic purpose of various customs and traditions. They blindly observe various rites and rituals associated with them, only because their forefathers have been performing them. Consequently, they practice social evils that hamper personality development and effective social functioning. For example, in India the open varna system degenerated into a closed caste system abetting practices such as untouchability, unseeability and even unapproachability. 

When social evils began to cause human misery, some enlightened individuals started giving a serious consideration in devising measures to get rid of them, thereby introducing social reforms. The term ‘reform’, according to Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary (1996) means “the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc”. According to M.S. Gore (1987), social reform “involves a deliberate effort to bring about a change in social attitudes, culturally defined role expectations and actual patterns of behaviour of people in a desired direction through processes of persuasion and public education.” Social reform thus, broadly refers to the deliberate, collective non-violent attempt by a group of like-minded, to eradicate immoral, unhealthy, corrupt and wrong practices thwarting human and social development.

d) Social policy

Policy, broadly speaking, refers to a framework within which a vowed objectives are to be attained. Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary (1996) defines policy as “a definite course of action adopted for the sake of expediency, facility, etc.” Social policy includes those courses of action adopted by the government which relate to the social aspects of life, action which is deliberately designed and taken to improve the welfare of its citizens (Eyden, 1969). 

Kulkarni (1987), explained that the key word ‘policy’ implied the adoption of a sagacious course of action in order to achieve the desired objective(s). In other words, what is pragmatic is called policy and what is based on principles is referred to as doctrinaire.” Kulkarni (1978) noted that ‘social policy’ denotes three specific areas;

i) the social objectives of state policy, including economic growth;

ii) the policy with regard to the promotion of social services as an integral part of a developing economy

iii) the policy governing promotion of social welfare services as a part of development plans. Thus, social policy is a framework within which, the state as protector and promoter of the interests of society as also of human rights of people, conduct its affairs so that the goal of welfare of all may be promoted by organizing a series of services in diverse fields of nutrition, water supply, education, health, housing, employment, recreation, etc. The salient features of social policy include:

1) responsibility for conducting the affairs of society

2) a specific framework within which or the affairs of society are to be conducted

3) addresses people in general and aims at providing social services – direct and general.

 4) promotes human and social development.

Whereas social policy concerns itself with providing social services to improve the life and living of people in general, social welfare policy relates itself to the organization of specially designed social welfare services for weaker and vulnerable sections of society to enable them achieve parity with other sections of the society. Modernisation of society through adoption of science and technology, improving the national standard of living, building up civic and political institutions to suit the changing needs, and the establishment of an open, pluralistic society of equal opportunity, could with all these elements be regarded as the pith and substance of social policy (Kulkarni, 1987).

e) Social welfare

All civilizations since time immemorial have been striving for the well being of mankind. Our sages pray that ‘all may be happy’ and devised social systems and institutions to promote the welfare of all. Coming from welfaren, ‘welfare’ connotes “the state or condition with regard to good, fortune, health, happiness, prosperity, etc”. (Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary, 1996). Dasgupta (1976) observed that social welfare refers ‘to the entire package of services, social and economic, that deal with income support, welfare provisions and social security on one hand, and the whole range of social services, on the other.’ Wilensky and Lebeaux (1957) define social welfare as those formally organized and socially sponsored institutions, agencies and programs which function to maintain or improve the economic conditions, health or interpersonal competence of some parts or all of the population. 

Wilensky and Lebeaux identify two dominant conceptions to social welfare - the residual, that assumes social welfare institutions coming into play only when the normal structures of supply, the family and market break down, and the institutional, that holds welfare services as normal, “first line” functions of modem industrial society. According to Friedlander (1963), social welfare is the organized system of social services and institutions, designed to aid individuals and groups to attain satisfying standards of life and health, and personal and social relationships that permit them to develop their full capacities and to promote their wellbeing in harmony with the needs of their families and the community.” 

The major traits distinguishing social welfare structure are:

1) a formal organizational structure

2) social sponsorship and accountability

3) absence of profit motive

4) integral view of human needs

5) direct focus on human consumption needs.

Social Welfare as conceived by Skidmore, Thackeray and Farley (1991), ‘encompasses the well-being and interests of large numbers of people, including their physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and economic needs... social welfare includes the basic institutions and processes related to facing and solving social problems.” 

Zastrow (1978) thought social welfare aimed at ‘fulfilling the social, financial, health and recreational requirements of all individuals in a society.

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