adapt to the changing needs of the partners as well as the prison setting itself. How to navigate in such a context therefore becomes important. This is knowledge that is not, and in fact cannot, be gained from reading books about prisons, torture or the effects imprisonment have on inmates. This knowledge is generated through practice. It is a learning by doing process that requires the use of intuition and skills, which are not only taught through education but also through their constant confrontation with the prison environment. The themes, questions and reflections this thesis is trial on are as such not uncharted waters. The dilemmas and obstacles social workers face dealing with the complexity that define us as human beings is certainly a key area of interest for many social work practitioners and researchers alike. The questions this thesis raises and explore are therefore not only relevant for social work in prisons. However, not much has been written about social work done in prisons, especially in prisons outside a western context. 1.1 Balay a Human Rights Organization – Before presenting the aim of this study as well as the research questions posed, a descriptive introduction of the organization being researched will be presented. was founded in 1985 during a time of turmoil where martial law had been instated in the Philippines under the rule of Dictator Marcos. This period was characterized by massive human right violations, which functioned as a catalyst for the establishment of Balay. Their purpose was to support people who stood up against the unjust political system. As a result of this, their target group became political prisoners. They
adapt to the changing needs of the partners as well as the prison setting itself. How to navigate in such a context therefore becomes important. This is knowledge that is not, and in fact cannot, be gained from reading books about prisons, torture or the effects imprisonment have on inmates. This knowledge is generated through practice. It is a learning by doing process that requires the use of intuition and skills, which are not only taught through education but also through their constant confrontation with the prison environment. The themes, questions and reflections this thesis is on are as such not uncharted waters. The dilemmas and obstacles social workers face dealing with the complexity that define us as human beings is certainly a key area of interest for many social work practitioners and researchers alike. The questions this thesis raises and explore are therefore not only relevant for social work in prisons. However, not much has been written about social work done in prisons, especially in prisons outside a western context. 1.1 Balay – a Human Rights Organization Before presenting the aim of this study as well as the research questions posed, a descriptive introduction of the organization being researched will be presented. was founded in 1985 during a time of turmoil where martial law had been instated in the Philippines under the rule of Dictator Marcos. This period was characterized by massive human right violations, which functioned as a catalyst for the establishment of Balay. Their purpose was to support people who stood up against the unjust political system. As a result of this, their target group became political prisoners. They trial
Social_work_behind_bars.docx