Customer Reviews:
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 Not enough depth February 9, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
As a first year student we were recommended this book to complete our first assignments. I felt it gave a basic overview of the whole concept and I was not left satisfied. For example the PCS model was explained, however I found I kept going back to the book to try and gain more knowledge on the whole concept of Anti-Discriminatory Practice-that, simply, wasnt there! I feel this book could have been better if it had explored the more in depth concepts behind Anti Discriminatory Practice, althogether it was too general.
 This is only a place to start May 2, 2007
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
If seriously considering anti-oppressive or discriminatory practice, perhaps it should have been called an introduction to anti-oppressive or discriminatory practices.
As a result I dont believe that criticisms of epistemological analysis and comparisons with A level sociology are fair, infact I think they indicate the sympathies of the previous reviewer and sociology has really moved on from the epistemological discussions and philosophical debates of Hobbes, Locke et al.
I would say that there are much more interesting and illustrative examples of discrimination, power and oppression in James C Scott's Domination and the Arts of Resistance, however Thompson's model of oppression occuring at the personal, cultural and structural levels should be a spur to further thinking and investigation.
I have only given it three stars since it can only really serve as an introduction to the topic, its written, in the style of the staple of social work practitioner texts, which is less than compelling, has little or no narrative style and reads a lot like DVD player instructions or the continually circulating body of knowledge in all the paper exercises social services training units have invented.
It doesnt tackle the issues of discrimination or oppression of professionals contra other professionals or agencies, which David Howe did in an earlier book which may be out of print now, it does make it appear like oppression is easily defeated and doesnt at all have the health warning that this sort of thing really ought to be accompanied with.
A level sociology revisited September 18, 2003
15 out of 26 found this review helpful
An at times simplistic account of forms of discrimination which rarely attempts any real depth of analysis. Possibly this is all social work students want to get through their essays with high marks, but the narrative will fail to prepare them for the reality of extreme rationing and endless office based work after qualification. Thompson has certainly got lucky with this best seller that successfully simplifies and packages complex forms of power and domination and presents them as easily confronted and solved. No evidence of epistemological analysis but instead just a new form of A level sociology in drag. Still it sells like hot cakes and so the publishers should be happy, and the career must surely have taken off. Crude, academically lazy and completely out of touch with us the social work practitioners!
 Seminal March 24, 2003
6 out of 10 found this review helpful
An absolute must have for anyone wanting to work in the field of social care. Thompson's grasp of issues around the areas of discrimination is second to none and his ability to describe and analyse potential problems and common pitfalls is first class. Only criticism is that perhaps he is a bit of one trick pony, his PCS model appears all over the place, including in other texts. Nevertheless it makes sense and it works. If you are interested in structral oppression and how endemic it is even within the social care profession buy this book
 Not entirely an anti- discriminatory view. January 20, 2003
26 out of 34 found this review helpful
As a social work student I thought that this book would look at examples that occurr everyday when trying to work in an anti-discriminatory way. Unfortunately I did not feel that the book gave any other view than to assume that the social worker will always be the one who discriminates and the examples used became one sided and repetitive. I actually challenge this view with the book - as anyone will know, discrimination cuts both ways. Although a solution may never be reached, what about when users discriminate against each other and towards you, what would be the best way to practice then? After several pages I actually felt that the book was more brain-washing rather than giving some though provoking healthy suggestions for practice.
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