political

Friendship as a Model of Professional Care

In 2004, Frans Vosman († 2020) published the Dutch-language version of the article Friendship as a Model of Professional Care. An obvious question arises: why would the editorial board now publish an English version of this old and therefore dated article on its international website? In this introduction, we outline why we believe the article remains relevant to contemporary care ethics. Continue reading Friendship as a Model of Professional Care

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).

Continue reading Problem or “mystery” in Care and Social Work?

Through the Eye of the Needle. Next steps for care ethics

Between 2014 and 2020, care ethicist Frans Vosman († 2020) wrote several articles in which he explained the need for next steps within care ethics. Some of these were mentioned in our introduction to his article Taking Refuge in the Arts (Vosman, 2016). We now add another article.
Continue reading Through the Eye of the Needle. Next steps for care ethics

From cancer one may sometimes die. Yet no one speaks about that anymore

Medical-technical innovations are great, but they often suppress a conversation about pain and suffering says Tessa Roberts-Smorenburg, care ethicist at the Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital Amsterdam (NL) Continue reading From cancer one may sometimes die. Yet no one speaks about that anymore