Conflict Theories

Imagine living your life without any problems to solve or obstacles to overcome. What if everyone you encounter held the same beliefs and opinions that you do?

How would you continue to learn and mature, without the lessons provided through conflict? Because conflict and adversity are nearly unavoidable, the social worker's focus often is on helping clients resolve and learn from conflict, in order to continue the progress toward their goals.

An understanding of the theories about why conflict exists and how it functions in people's lives provides the foundation from which social workers can best assist clients in coping with and resolving the conflicts they face.

This week, you evaluate the appropriateness of conflict theories for specific populations and compare their application to social work practice.

Learning Objectives

Students will: Not a Assingment

• Evaluate appropriateness of conflict theories for social work case studies

• Apply social work skills related to conflict theory in social work case studies to specific populations

• Compare conflict theories

• Analyze influences of integrative theories on social work practice

• Analyze congruence between integrative theories and social work ethics and values

Discussion: Conflict Theories in Social Work Practice with Specific Populations
Why does conflict exist? What if conflict and instability were life's normal state of affairs, occasionally interrupted by periods of peace and stability?

What if peace is contrary to the nature of man? According to conflict theory, society is in a state of perpetual conflict and competition for limited resources. In fact, this perspective might explain the existence of war, poverty, political strife, divorce, discrimination, and a host of other conflict-related social phenomena. If conflict theorists are right, are social workers fighting a war that cannot be won?

The social worker's mission is not to foster a utopia where all conflict ceases to exist. Rather, social workers help clients overcome the conflicts they face and reduce or eliminate the harm they experience, in order to improve their lives. How can the understanding of conflict's origins and why it exists prepare social workers to help their clients effectively manage the conflict in their lives?

For this Discussion, review this week's resources. Select either the Roy case study or the Matt and Keith case study. Then, select a conflict theory that best applies to the specific case you selected. Finally, consider what social work skills you might use to apply that theory and think about why it is appropriate for that case.

1. Answerin APA format a 2 paragraph in APA format Support all your written with 2 APA citations and references per paragraph. Post a description of the conflict theory that best applies to the case study you selected. Be sure to reference the client from the specific case study you selected in your post.

Then explain what social work skills you might use to apply that theory and explain why it is appropriate for the case you selected.Support your posts and responses with specific references to this week's resources. Be sure to provide full APA citations for your references.