Effective Language in Health and Social Work

Effective Language in Health and Social Work uniquely provides an accessible and wide-ranging analysis of the role of language in the health professions and social work.Controversial issues such as the use of language in relation to racism, sexism and other forms of oppression are tackled using relevant practical examples, and the major theories about how language constructs human thought and action are examined.Specific chapters cover commonly-held attitudes to language, the role of language in personal and group identity, theories and research on the use of language and the relationship of language to power. The final chapters develop the implications for health professionals and social workers with an explicitly anti-discriminatory approach to practice.Students and practitioners alike, in nursing, social work and other professions allied to medicine, will find that Effective Language in Health and Social Work provides a stimulating introduction to the subject, and that it is an invaluable guide to this challenging area of theory and practice.