Queering Professionalism: Pitfalls and Possibilities

Queering Professionalism explores the regulation and professionalization of 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and others marginalized by cisheteronormativity in the helping professions and social services, drawing connections between neoliberalism, professionalization, cisheteronormativity, and other intersecting oppressions. It offers a diverse range of authors' perspectives from different fields to critique how neoliberalism silences and regulates marginalized perspectives.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 348 pages
Publication date: 21 November 2024
Publisher: University of Toronto Press

Queering Professionalism: A Critical Exploration of Neoliberalism, Inequalities, and the Regulation of Queer Knowledge and Subjectivities in the Helping Professions and Social Services
Neoliberalism has had a profound impact on the helping professions and social services, shaping the way that individuals and groups are regulated and professionalized. This collection seeks to queer and disrupt these ideas and understandings by bringing together a diverse range of authors from different fields within the helping professions, such as child and youth care, education, early childhood education, dietetics, and social work. The book draws connections between neoliberalism, professionalization, structures of cisheteronormativity, and other intersecting oppressions to examine the possibilities and pitfalls of professionalism.

Contributors come from various social service and helping professions to collectively critique how neoliberalism operates to silence and regulate marginalized perspectives within the various social service and education fields. By thinking with and employing queer theoretical frameworks, Queering Professionalism reimagines and disrupts neoliberal regimes that rationalize the violent conditions within and outside of helping institutions and orientations.

One of the key themes of Queering Professionalism is the impact of neoliberalism on the regulation of queer knowledge and subjectivities. Neoliberalism has been characterized by a focus on individualism, competition, and marketization, which has led to the marginalization of marginalized groups and the privileging of certain forms of knowledge and subjectivities. This has had a particularly negative impact on the LGBTQIA+ community, which has faced significant discrimination and marginalization throughout history.

Neoliberalism has also played a role in the professionalization of the helping professions. The professionalization of these fields has been driven by a desire to increase efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability, which has led to the standardization of practices and the devaluation of non-traditional forms of knowledge and expertise. This has had a negative impact on the ability of marginalized groups to access and receive quality services, as they may not be able to meet the same standards as their more privileged counterparts.

Queering Professionalism challenges these neoliberal assumptions and seeks to create a more inclusive and equitable helping profession. The book argues that the helping professions should be more responsive to the needs of marginalized groups and that they should be more flexible and adaptable in their approach to practice. This can be achieved by challenging the dominant narratives and structures that perpetuate oppression and by promoting a more inclusive and diverse workforce.

One of the ways that Queering Professionalism achieves this is by drawing on queer theoretical frameworks. Queer theory is a critical approach to understanding the experiences of marginalized groups and the ways that they are shaped by social and cultural structures. Queer theory challenges the binary of heterosexuality and homosexuality and explores the ways that gender, sexuality, and identity are constructed and performed.

Queering Professionalism also challenges the idea that the helping professions should be neutral and objective. The book argues that the helping professions should be more aware of their own biases and prejudices and should work to address them. This can be achieved by providing training and education to help professionals to develop their skills and knowledge in working with marginalized groups and by promoting a culture of empathy and compassion.

In addition to challenging neoliberal assumptions and promoting a more inclusive and equitable helping profession, Queering Professionalism also has implications for the regulation of queer knowledge and subjectivities. The book argues that the regulation of queer knowledge and subjectivities should be more flexible and responsive to the needs of marginalized groups. This can be achieved by promoting the use of non-traditional forms of knowledge and expertise and by challenging the dominant narratives and structures that perpetuate oppression.

Queering Professionalism also has implications for the regulation of social services and the education system. The book argues that the regulation of these fields should be more responsive to the needs of marginalized groups and that they should be more flexible and adaptable in their approach to practice. This can be achieved by promoting the use of non-traditional forms of knowledge and expertise and by challenging the dominant narratives and structures that perpetuate oppression.

In conclusion, Queering Professionalism is a critical exploration of neoliberalism, inequalities, and the regulation of queer knowledge and subjectivities in the helping professions and social services. The book draws connections between neoliberalism, professionalization, structures of cisheteronormativity, and other intersecting oppressions to examine the possibilities and pitfalls of professionalism. By thinking with and employing queer theoretical frameworks, Queering Professionalism reimagines and disrupts neoliberal regimes that rationalize the violent conditions within and outside of helping institutions and orientations. The book challenges the dominant narratives and structures that perpetuate oppression and promotes a more inclusive and equitable helping profession.

Weight: 542g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781487550929