Book review

Title: Islam and social work
Authors: Sara Ashencaen Crabtree, Fatima Husain and Basia Spalek
Year: 2008
Edition: 1
Number of pages: 208
Publisher: Policy Press
ISBN: 9781861349477
Price: £18.99

Reviewer: Shula Ramon, Professor of Interprofessional Health and Social Studies, Anglia Ruskin University
Review date: 26/10/2008

Table of contents and more information 

This text fills the existing gap in addressing key issues related to knowledge about the British Moslem community, the values they may adhere to, and the problematic aspects of living in the UK for them. Written specifically for social workers by a social worker and two social scientists, it  includes real life case studies and a reflective discussion, welcomed especially in the post 9/11/2001 and 7/7/2005 climate in which we live.

Written in a readable style, the book covers a large number of central issues which social workers meet in their work with Moslem families, women, children, and young people, including health and criminal justice.

The authors come with experience of living and working in Moslem countries and/or researching aspects of Moslem community living in the UK. They do not shy from raising awkward themes, such as gender relations, abuse in families, crime, and “honour” killings, but attempt to enable the reader to understand the Moslem perspective/s on these issues, without condoning traditional Islamic positions. They pay sympathetic attention to the underlying values of Islam,  its practice,  spiritual and religious facets, and highlight instances of victimisation, discrimination and oppression.

The case studies help to contextualise the discussion, and to locate it at the level of everyday social work practice. The references indicate ample further reading.

While the authors present thorny issues with the existing evidence and the values attached to them, they do not tackle the ethical dilemmas which social workers would have to face in practice, such as concealed family abuse with the support of some Moslem medical practitioners, or working with young Moslem men involved in hate crimes and their families. Although there cannot be textbook solutions to any such cases, the dilemmas, options, and support for workers who find themselves embroiled in these difficult circumstances, need to be looked at in depth.

Implicitly the authors seem to assume that most members of Moslem communities are believers in Islam, hence the possibility of internal culture clash (especially for those who grew up in the UK) is rarely mentioned.   

Clearly there is a need for a community development approach to working with Moslem communities in the UK, which has implications for current social work education which on the whole does not focus on this way of working.

The book highlights how much we need to learn about our Moslem communities, and will be of good value and use to undergraduate students, lecturers and practitioners alike. Modules focusing on diversity, anti-discriminatory practice, the value base, and social work with families and communities would benefit from both the case studies and the background material. The case studies could be used as scenarios for students to work on the dilemmas which working with Moslem families may give rise to, and on potential solutions in preparation for seminars as well as within the seminars, while the contextual material can be used in lectures too. I would definitely recommend this book to my colleagues for teaching and for inclusion on reading lists.