La ricerca scientifica di Social Work. Quale oggettività per lo studio della soggettività profonda?

The paper discusses epistemological issues about major communalities and differences between Sociology and Social Work’s styles of social research. Compared with conventional methods and contents of macro-sociological research, Social work is ideographical in essence, as micro “clinical” approaches in medicine and psychotherapy. The epistemological domain of Social work research focuses on existential vulnerabilities and severe social diseases where feelings, attitudes and coping capabilities of those human beings involved must to be entirely considered and taken into account. One of the most appropriate research style in social work research (the participatory research) is briefly described and a possible typology of social work studies’ contents is indicated.