•  
  •  
 

Abstract

Excerpt from the full-text article:

I have referred to a key problem of how to make individual and group concerns known to the decision makers without ignoring the weakly organized and unorganized-and without putting both the legislators and administrators in the position of merely ratifying bargaining negotiated between these interest groups. I have suggested non-governmental Social Planning Councils have a potentially significant role to play in the changing need for representativeness for the myriad of strong, weak and unorganized groups and individuals.

This role recognizes the feedback benefits resulting from the proposition that people learn to participate by participating, and that social planning councils can provide neutral professional expertise to help accelerate that learning process. This role for social planning councils, through the involvement of interested and progressively better informed citizens, allows for the collection and dissemination of information that could be an important source for augmenting citizen participation in social decision-making.

Despite the seeming Intolerance between the discipline and the profession, and the seeming communications gaps between each of the four models in each of the fields, It is clear that each of the models serves a purpose In the discipline, In the profession and in society. If the social distance between these models can be bridged and If increased tolerance for the seeming mutual incongruity of concepts and behavior is achieved, we may yet be successful in making Sociology and Social Work as useful, relevant and necessary as was manifested In their original purposes posed by their forebears.

Off-campus users:

You may need to log in to your campus proxy before being granted access to the full-text above.

Share

COinS