Author: Silke Jacobi

Silke Jacobi

Silke Jacobi had her master’s degree in the Ethics of Care at the University of Humanistic Studies (Utrecht) in 2019. In her master thesis she investigated 'late modern', invisible power dynamics with seemingly subject-oriented, but equally neoliberal subtitles: this double-tingled, turbulent context influences the morally and critically concerned care-workers and has impact of institutional questions. Since 1990 she explores as a social worker the changes of the complex (institutional) care-praxis also from an inside-perspective. In addition, she worked as a supervisor for upcoming social workers at a university of applied sciences. The broad political-ethical context for care-ethical issues is one of her concerns.

Problem or “mystery” in Care and Social Work?

Social professionals’ view of the good life and vulnerability determines what is seen as a problem and how it is tackled. The French philosopher Gabriel Marcel proposes the notion of “mystery” as an alternative to thinking in terms of problems.
Our editors Silke Jacobi and Ivonne Hoen attended a symposium (1) questioning the problem- and solution-oriented approach in social work getting in the way of the social worker’s “knowing”. They regard this a topical issue, in the symposium related to the phenomenological “mystery” notion of Gabriel Marcel (1889-1973).

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The fragile voices from the work floor. Care-ethical power issues reconsidered

Social worker Silke Jacobi MA considers in the summary of her care-ethical thesis (2019) the possibilities of more impact and (political) participation of the institutional care-worker in an ambiguous neo-liberal context. Continue reading The fragile voices from the work floor. Care-ethical power issues reconsidered

Looking at a cuckoo’s egg: Aspects of the corona-crisis in a Dutch context

Corona-crisis: is this a time for reflections on political consequences of this crisis, such as ‘lessons learned’? Or is it a time when the suffering and anxiety of many come so close to home that any kind of reflection could easily take the shape of a shortcut to new and ‘better principles for the world’?

Continue reading Looking at a cuckoo’s egg: Aspects of the corona-crisis in a Dutch context