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Journal of Global Social Work Practice, Volume 4, Number 2, November/December 2011

Korean Social Work Practitioners: Perceptions and Attitudes towards Globalization

Tarrance David Henderson BSW, MSW, Ph.D (ABO) Sungkyunkwan Uniwrsity Humanities & Social Sciences campus 53 Myeongnyun-don 3-ga, Jongno-gu Seoul110-745, Korea E-mail: intl@skku.edu

Abstract

For this study, 112 questionnaires were completed by Korean social work practitioners focusing on eliciting perceptions and attitudes towards globalization. The results demonstrate that in general, Korean social workers understand the importance and significance of a local/global nexus as it relates to social work practice.

Keywords: Korea, globalization, social work, education, practice perceptions of.

Contents

Introduction

Research on Social Work Practitioners' Awareness of Globalization

Historv of Social Welfare and Social Work Education in Korea

Methodology

Results

Significance of the Findings

Implications for Social Work Practice

References

About the Author

Introduction

Findlay and McCormack (2005) note that,

" ... if social workers are to practice effectiwly in the 21st century then social work practice itself needs to be conceptualized beyond the confines of nation-state, as influences outside this realm are increasingly being acknowledged as ha\4ng some influence on local issues" (p. 124).

Academia supports the assumption that social work as a profession is emerging out of a global context and is ha\4ng a profound impact on practice competencies (Sewpaul & Jones, 2005; Lyons, Manion, & Carlsen, 2006; Dominelli, 2010; Hong & Song, 2010; Healy, 2001; Pugh & Gould, 2000; Midgley 1997; Powell & Geoghegan, 2005; Findlay & McCormack, 2005, 2007; Rotabi, Gammonley, Gamble, & Weil, 2007; Nagy & Falk, 2000; and Gray & Fook, 2004). Unfortunately, while social work scholars haw identified the importance of exploring

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globalization (the local-global nexus), they haw for the most part, failed in any thorough way to research its multiple meanings and dewlop practice strategies to ameliorate its negatiw consequences.

A case in point, which is central to this paper, is the lack of research related to Korean social work practitioners' perceptions and attitudes towards globalization. An understanding of contemporary perceptions of Korean social work practitioners towards globalization can be useful from both domestic and international research perspectiws. Haloing identified the importance of globalization as it relates to social work education and practice, it is important to assess potential gaps existing between practitioner perceptions of globalization and the globalization phenomenon itself.

In a thorough reloiew of the literature, it was discowred that such gaps haw not been assessed and may reflect a broader problem. While some social work scholars haw de1o0ted themselws to addressing social work as an interconnected and global issue, most haw not dealt with social problems beyond their immediate domestic realities. This led Midgley (1997), one of the most prolific scholars writing about this issue, to express concern of whether or not the social work academy truly understands the significance of globalization's impact upon the profession as a whole. In fact, research on globalization and social work is not broadly distributed amongst the profession's numerous academic journals. Most of the literature on social work and globalization almost exclusiwly is located in two journals. They are the International Social Work and the Journal of Global Social Work Practice. Nonetheless, these two journals haw expanded the debate concerning globalization and its relationship to social work practice and education. They are aiding the nature and lewl of the international dialogue that exists within the social work academy.

Within the academy, it can be argued that there are two wry different approaches to globalization. In wrsion one we all start to speak the same language and all adopt the same dominant culture's values, and by extension, the dominant culture's approach to social work. The second approach is that we share between us the fullness and diwrsity of the human condition, that some cultures will perform certain tasks better than another, and we should learn from each other through dialogue, listening and speaking with mutual respect. There is no human group that cannot tell us something. By extension, this in1o0lws insights into not only social work but social dynamics and the preservation of healthy communities, families and indiloiduals wherewr this is possible. This second approach is one that appears to be gaining most support.

Research on Social Work Practitioners' Awareness of Globalization

To date, no empirical research has been conducted on assessing practitioners' awareness of globalization relatiw to Korean social work aside from this study. In fact, an exhaustiw literature reloiew of Western source material rewaled only two empirical studies of practitioners' awareness of globalization conducted in the past three decades. The first was conducted in the United States by Kondrat and Ramanathan (1996) and the second was completed in Australia by Findlay & McCormack (2005). Both studies suggest a need to dewlop professional awareness and practice strategies applicable to globalization on a local and global scale.

Perhaps the more important of the two studies is from Kondrat and Ramanathan (1996). Their research rewals insight into social workers' attitudes towards the impact of globalization on social work practice and education, and highlights the need for an international/global perspectiw. They hypothesized that global "shrinking" was a phenomenon that increasingly affects domestic practices. Concurrent to this author's study, they sought to identify the relatiw ease with which social work practitioners could realize the impact of international/global ewnts on local practice and the relevance global perspectiw has on social work practice.

Nearly ten years after Kondrat and Ramanathan published their findings, Findlay and McCormack (2005), who employed a similar approach, found their sample of Australian social workers to be more aware of global issues (and the related impact that globalization had on daily practice) than the group of American practicum instructors that were the focus of Kondrat and Ramanathan's earlier work. Though they do not speculate on cultural or regional differences between the two groups, the authors suggest that the heightened awareness of globalization from their sample may be a result of the topic's rise in popularity owr time. Howewr, it is difficult to make this statement with any certainty as both studies used non-random sampling and thus no generalizations can be made.

Limitations of social work education in South Korea

In part, the apparent failure of the social work academy to thoroughly research issues pertaining to globalization,

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social work education, and practice may be related to the nature of the globalization debate itself. As Dominelli (2010) notes, there is no agreed upon definition of globalization. One of the most significant problems when one engages the academic debate on globalization across disciplines as Held and McGrew (2002) note: "Within the academy no singular account of globalization has gained orthodoxy" (p. 2). Sewral competing theories are still vying for dominance to date. In general, this has resulted in academic dillisions within the social work literature specifically, and the social science literature in general. At this stage such di\isions may be \iewed as being largely counter- productiw. Although theoretical debates haw their place in all areas of social science, the world faces pressing social issues that need to be addressed. In a field of research where debate is muddled by conceptual ambiguity it is understandable why researchers may approach the globalization debate with caution.

Since there is a global context with which social workers are contending, both students and practitioners require a much broader-based education. There is a need to be educated to act and learn in a global en\ironment. At the wry least, we must be better able to exchange ideas, to begin a more open dialogue between colleagues domestically and internationally, enabling us to learn from each other unhindered by hegemonic thinking or preconceptions concerning globalization. This requires the inculcation of more critical reasoning and creatiw thinking into the heart of social work education (Hong & Song, 2010; Yip, 2004). Certainly it requires social workers to think globally and act locally.

Globalization in South Korea

South Korea, also known as the Republic of Korea and henceforth referred to as "ROK," has continuously been subject to a process of profound social transformation. The ROK is a nation that has been deeply influenced by globalization for owr a century. On a positiw note, globalization has enabled the rapid increase in li\ing standards especially during the past four decades. Howewr, it is also leading to income inequality and an increasing number of impowrished immigrants. Within a rapidly e1o0l\ing geo-political, social, cultural, and economic context, ROK social workers are facing new social problems that cannot be fully understood without acknowiedging the effects of globalization.

Nagy and Falk (2000, p. 49), state that globalization is ha\ing, "a dramatic impact on the social work profession and on the educational needs of students preparing for this profession." This position is also supported by Polack, when he notes that, "The current globalization of the economy requires that social workers broaden their horizons and \lew many domestic social justice issues within a global firamework" (Polack, 2004, p. 287). Ewn though their focus is not on the ROK, it is nonetheless relevant to the problems facing Korean social workers. All social workers, including those practicing in Korea, should seek to broaden their awareness of the underlying causes of local problems shaped by global circumstances.

Immigration

Another case in point for Korean social workers pertains to marriage immigration issues. Marriage immigration in the ROK primarily in1o0lws the marriage of younger South-East Asian brides (mostly from China, Vietnam and Taiwan and in their early 20's) to older Korean males (35 to 45) who are residing in rural areas. The brides are selected from catalogues. Problems that haw been identified by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare include forced cultural assimilation as well as wrbal and physical abuse. It has been estimated that as many as 47 % of these so called "Picture Brides" are subject to marital \iolence, isolation and alienation in the rural communities where they reside (Han Young In, 2010). Also, the problem of how to integrate the so-called 'mix­race children' into the rural communities that are primarily comprised of homogenous populations is of growing concern to the Ministry of Health & Welfare. Finally, the majority of these families are relatiwly worse off economically when compared to the population as a whole. Generally speaking, farmers tend to be less affluent in Korea, and its rural areas generally receiw less llisible exposure from other forms of globalization. This creates a unique set of social challenges. Howewr, the underlying global issues, such as the international distribution of wealth, are rarely addressed by academics and policy-makers alike. (Hong & Song, 201 0). If this problem were assessed from a broader global perspectiw it would be fairly self-ellident that marriage immigration is a result of the economic hardships that compel people to mow from one country to another.

The need for understanding this issue in a broader global context is highlighted by Asamoah, Healy, and Mayadas (1997). They encourage social workers worldwide to look beyond domestic borders at changes around the globe, such as migration, that haw created new global-local contexts for social work practice. Such factors haw resulted in the need for new social work competencies as social problems that are faced by both dewloping and dewloped countries alike that result from either the direct or indirect impact of political, economic and social

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decision making of other countries (p. 390).

History of Social Welfare and Social Work Education in Korea

It is estimated that there are 1,700 Schools of Social Work around the globe in 150 countries, (Whittington, 2000). The International Association of Schools of Social Work has 150 members from 40 countries with 7 members from Korea. Taken at face value, these numbers are impressiw. But intellectually, the "global academy" of social work faces many fundamental questions, which discount its relevance and influence. Nonetheless, there is a cohesiw value structure since they share a common core set of beliefs, in spite of pursuing different means to uphold social work's core values. While social work education and practice haw e1o0lwd in consideration of many social, political and economic circumstances in various parts of the world, at its core are values that haw been inherited from the West. For example, contemporary social work education in the ROK was modeled from Western Christian missionaries.

Chosun Dynasty

Social welfare prollision in Korea, albeit in its pre-modem form, date back thousands of years. For example, six hundred years ago, in the Chosun Dynasty (1392-1910), pre-modem Korea had laws protecting the rights of orphans and widows. In the Great Codex, which recorded the actions of all the Chosun rulers, mention is made of regular royal gifts to the "Four Poo~· or destitute: widows, orphans, the handicapped and the elderly (Kim 1993). Most of the cost of social work was privatized and carried out by indilliduals or local communities, especially in the case of orphans and widows. For example, children were taken in by respected members of society as foster child, adoptee, servant or slaw. In Seoul, the state created the equivalent to a modem-day emergency receilling home, the Chaesaengv.on which would be the equivalent of emergency foster care serllices today. Buddhist monasteries, many of them located in rural areas, also prollided many social serllices. (Annals of the Chosun Dynasty, 2005)

Social welfare education presumably existed as a part of the general Confucian and Buddhist education systems that co-existed during the Chosun Dynasty. The Confucian emphasis on relationships between members of society and the Buddhist concern with personal spiritual health must haw created a foundation based on which lay social workers, such as teachers, monks and other respected members of society, could perform their social roles.

The collapse of the Chosun Dynasty was engineered by the Japanese gowmment, and from 1910 to 1945, Korea along with Taiwan, were directly incorporated into the Japanese Empire, albeit as an unequal and often rebellious constituent. The Japanese colonial period marked a profound shift in Korean society, adopting modem forms of administration, social organization, technology and a capitalist economic system. At the same time many traditional social institutions were eliminated, disrupting Korea's indigenous social dewlopment.

Christian Missionaries in Korea

It is during this period of profound change that Christian missionary actillity became more prominent. Although Catholicism reached Korea during the 15th century, it was harshly suppressed by the Chosun authorities. Catholic social work, in the form of care for orphaned children, started in 1864. In 1885, the first Christian orphanages were founded in Seoul and Daegu (Roh, 2003). The growing Christian community in the ROK gradually started to play a more prominent role in the prollision of social welfare serllices and in 1947, the School of Christian Social Work at Ewha Woman's Uniwrsity in Seoul became the first institution to prollide modem social work education (Kim Sung Yee, 2005 p.175-182)

Thus the history of Korean social welfare, ewn in pre-modem times, is one of adapting and incorporating foreign ideas into the Korean body of knowledge, be they Buddhist, Confucian, Christian or Western secularism. Giwn this tradition, it could be argued that the globalization of Korean social work education is nothing new. Perhaps it is the Western countries that now haw to come to terms with the ideas of non-Western societies, such as Korea, regarding their social work practices.

Again, the first School of Social Work in Korea was founded in 1947 at Ehwa Women's Uniwrsity in Seoul as the Department of Christian Social Work. This was following the liberation from Japanese Colonial rule in 1945. This allowed for the actiw and open dewlopment of Christian charitable organizations, which had been prelliously suppressed by the colonizing forces. Howewr, since its inception this effort has been complicated by

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methodological problems and the ROK's turbulent history. The methodological problems were linked to social walK's Western ideological base with its roots in Christian values.

Such emergent conflicts were related to whether or not such Christian values were consistent with the traditional Neo-Confucian family values of Korean society, values that were already blended with Buddhist concepts of charity and reincarnation. The Western-educated and emancipated women of Ehwa Women's Uniwrsity were in many cases the total antithesis of patriarchal Confucian Korean family wlues. Also, the emerging elite of the new Republic of Korea was largely American-oriented and the United States serwd as a model (and the most important sponsor) in many areas of the newly fonned state including health and social welfare. During this period of American in\()lwment, it was clear that some concepts of Western culture, particularly the adoption of non blood-related adoptees, were not plausible for Koreans at that time.

Americanization of Social Welfare Education

Perhaps more important was the fact that the Korean War created an immediate and urgent need for social walK, and there was a limited amount of time available for theoretical discussions. This was related to the fact that in the relatiwly poor agricultural part of the peninsula there emerged a post-war society with millions of refugees from the North, war orphans, and a displaced population under an authoritatiw regime that was not prepared or economically able to offer adequate health care or social aide. At the uniwrsity lewl, this demand led to the creation of the Department of Social Wo!K at Seoul National Uniwrsity, following curriculum proposed by Professor Kidneigh of the Uniwrsity of Minnesota, School of Social Work (Kidneigh, 1955). Projects to rebuild Seoul National Uniwrsity between 1954 through 1962 in\()1\ed the Uniwrsity of Minnesota, which assisted in nation-building and knowledge dewlopment, sponsored directly by the US Secretary of State. (Uniwrsity of Minnesota, http://www.umn.edu )

Proximity to the American model of social welfare education was a logical outcome of the post-war situation in which urgent help was offered mainly by foreign organizations and social workers (for example, the Korea Association of Voluntary Agencies, and the Holt Foundation). Because the need at that time was closely related to the urgent post-war care of orphaned children, and 85% of the social welfare institutions were designed for this most urgent task (Koo Jaheon, 1970; Kim & Henderson, 2008). Fonnally educated social walKers made up only 3.4% of personnel at these institutions (Vi Hye Gyeong & Nam Chan Seob, 2005). This situation changed with rapid economic dewlopment under authoritatiw regimes, when a combination of ewnts occurred: foreign organizations retreated, economic growth increased, and new legislation was enacted requiring professionally­trained social walKers to manage and staff social welfare institutions in Korea. With the ad\ent of the Social Welfare Wo!K Law (1970) (Kim, Sung Yee & Kim No Eun. 2009 p.175-182) the need, and possibility for dewloping social worK education arose.

Current Status of Social Welfare Education in South Korea

A changing awareness of social worK education was mirrored by establishing the first Ph.D. in Social WorK. It was initiated at Seoul National Uniwrsity in 1979, but the number of programs increased rapidly. Due to their economic success, the number of social work programs increased from 9 program with 761 students in 1970 to 22 programs with 5,100 students in 1985. Growing attention of the state combined with the democratization and diwrsification of social worK resulted in the creation of many new academic programs. By 2007, there were 340 programs affiliated with social worK, social welfare, and family welfare, comprising a total of 50,000 students. To date, ewry leading Korean uniwrsity has a School of Social Wo!K. (Noble, Henrickson, & Han Young In, 2010)

Methodology

This study was undertaken to ascertain a pressing issue with regard to the lacuna in general social work education and practice. The study seeks to (a) fill the gap in knowledge and (b) offer insight into how globalization is percei\ed by social worK practitioners in the ROC as well as their attitudes towards globalization. To achiew this task, research was conducted with social worKers in Korea utilizing a research surwy tool dewloped by Findlay and McConnack (2005)*. The data presented in the Results section lists the questions that were used in this study, which is exploratory in nature. No other quantitatiw studies to date haw been completed on this topic within the ROK.

Sample Selection

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The Korean participants of this study included social work practitioners who are employed at a number of NGOs as well as gowmment departments with a social welfare mandate. In total the author was able to surwy 112 respondents from Korea. The author employed both a conwnience and snowball sampling methods in the study. Respondents were surwyed owr a two month period, from February through March of 2011.

Research Design

For this study the author utilized a surwy research tool initially dewloped by Findlay and McCormack (2005) and discussed in their article entitled, "Giobalisation and social work: A snapshot of Australian practitioners' \Aews." Findlay and McCormack's instrument was designed to measure globalization knowledge and assess practitioners' beliefs about the importance of global knowledge for social work practice.

Findlay and McCormack based the design of their research tool on a similar prior study of United States social workers perceptions and attitudes toward globalization published by Kondrat and Ramanathan in 1999. The instrument as indicated by Findlay and McCormack (2005) was assessed in a focus group comprised of Australian social workers.

In this study, participants were asked to respond to surwy items related to global issues, global policies, cross­cultural exposure, education, and practice. The questions were related to the following: (a) whether social workers beliew globalization impacts upon the people with whom they work; (b) how social workers rate their ability to identify a link between local and global issues; (c) how relevant they consider a global perspectiw is to social work; (d) what factors influence social workers' perceptions of globalization; (e) whether they beliew the social work education prepared them to understand the global-local nexus; and (f) how they feel about education for social work practice relating to international and global issues. Furthermore, in order to add clarity to the questionnaire, definitions were provided for all key terminology.

The surwy was translated into Korean, cross-checking the accuracy of meaning and wracity of intent with a focus group of Korean social workers. All of the respondents' answers were in Korean. Later, it was translated back into English to wrify the contents.

Data Processing and Statistical Analysis

These ordinallewl data was analyzed using SPSS, Version 18, to produce mainly descriptiw data. A composite of the three questions was used to construct the lewl of Globalization and Social Work Practice Index and Relevance of Globalization to Social Work Practice. The reliability indicator, Cronbach's a, is abow 0. 7, which is usually regarded as being statistically reliable.

Profile of Respondents

In total, 112 professional social workers from Korea completed the surwy. The age of the participants ranged from 23 to 65 (M = 35.2, SD = 7.00). A total of71% of the respondents were female and with 83% having completed an undergraduate degree in social work.

Table 1

Profile of Respondents

!category II Korean Social Workers(%) I

I IIN=112 I

IAge II

I< 3o 1124.1

13o-34 1129.5

135-39 1119.6

140-44 1116.1

145-49 116.3

1> 49 114.5

leegree II I II

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IB.S.W. 1183.0 I IM.S.W. 1112.5 I !Ph.D 112.7 I I other 111.8 I

Results

Korean Social Workers' Awareness of Globalization

Table 2

Respondents Level of Agreement 'lfith Statements the Global/Local Nexus

!variables ~ ~~isagree . Strongly l l oisagree i iAgree l l:~negly

I think that global issues impact local practice and local 14.5 IEJI45.5 IEJ issues.

I can identify the relationship between global policies and 15.4 IEJI36.6 IEJ Korea's national policies.

I can see how Korea's national policies influence some 111.6 IEJI42.0 IEJ people in other countries.

Three questions rated Korean social workers' lewis of awareness of globalization, as detailed abow. The first question asked respondents about their awareness of the relationship between global issues and local practice; the second question asked about their lewl of awareness regarding a relationship between global policies and Korea's national policies and the third question asked about an awareness of the impact of Korea's national policies on citizens of other countries. Results of the first question indicated that approximately 76.8% partially or totally agreed with the statement indicating a high lewl of awareness.

Yet in the remaining two questions Korean social work respondents appeared more ewnly split on their ability to discem the interconnectedness of local and global policies: almost 4 out of 10 (39.3%) were unable to clearly make this connection while 4 out of 10 (42%) respondents were able to clearly make a linkage between the impact of Korean national policies on other countries.

Relevance of Globalization to Social Work Practice

Table 3

Globalization has an impact on the Clients/Community I v.ork 'lfith

!variables I Disagree loisagreeiiAgree l

Agree . Strongly Strongly

I think that that globalization has an impact on the clients lo.8 IEJI23.2 IEJ and/or community I work with

Further, three questions elicited social work practitioners' opinions regarding how relevant they belie\ed a global perspectiw is to social work practice. The first question asked respondents about their lewl of agreement with the impact it has on the clients/community they work with. The second inquired about the relevance globalization has to their field of practice and the third asked about whether or not they felt social work had a role to play in dealing with global issues. The results are summarized in Tables 3-5.

The majority, 93%, of respondents agreed or agreed strongly with the fact that global issues had an impact on the clients or community they worked with. In terms of the second question regarding globalization's relevance to practice, 64% of Korean social work respondents felt that it was relevant or extremely relevant. A smaller percentage, 16% felt that it had no relevance at all. The third 'relevance' question asked social workers how often they used global policies to inform their practice. Examples were provided to ensure students clearly understood

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the question: for example, the United Nations Charter on the Rights of the Child.

Table 4

Globalization Relevance to Practice

!variables I Not Very Fairly IRelevantl . Relevant Relevant

Extremely Relevant

I think that globalization is relevant to my 116.1 1119.6 IEJI13.4 field of practice.

Table 5

Social Worl< Has a Role to Play in Dealing Wth Global Issues

I

!variables I Disagree . Strongly loisagreeiiAgree l Agree ,18 Strongly •

I think that the social work profession has a role to play in 10.9

IEJEJEJB dealing with global issues

Table 6

utilization of Global Polices in His/Her Practice

!variables IINever lloccasionally ~~ I =us=e=g=lo=b=a=l po= lic=i=es= in=m=y=p=ra=c=t=ic=e.=====lll27. 7 1145.5

IIRegularly IIAII the time

1124.1 112.7

Individual Factors and Globalization

The sun.ey asked some additional questions of the respondents' indi\1dual interest and their support for globalization and global practice. The first of these questions asked respondents whether they had a personal interest in international and global issues. Almost 60% of the respondents indicated this was wry true or true. Yet, 4 out of 10 indicated either neutrality to this statement or not wry true as shown in Table 7.

A final measure of globalization regarding whether or not the respondents considered themselws to be global citizens was asked. This measure evaluated the social worker's commitment to the issue of globalization, asking: Do you consider yourself to be a global citizen? The majority of respondents, six out of ten or (59%), pro\1ded positive responses.

Table 7

Personal Interest in International and Global Issues

!variables I Not Very I Neutral ll~;ur: I Extremely

True True

~ ~~haw a personal interest in international and global ISSUeS. 116.3 IEJEJis.9 I

Table 8

/Identify Myself as a Global Citizen

!variables

l1 identify myself as a global citizen. llsa.9 1141.1

Significance of the Findings

These findings clearty rewal a liwly interest in globalization on the part of ROK social work practitioners: owr

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half the respondents saw the relewnce of globalization to their profession. Howewr, it also rewals lower scores for the uptake of global policies and practices, and their adoption ewn on an experimental basis by the social worker. It is one thing to be aware, but another to try them. This article also establishes a baseline for some key issues related to perceptions and attitudes of Korean social workers. Howewr, this study endea\Ors to measure beliefs rather than beha\1ors and clearly indicates some direction in curriculum dewlopment for social work education and practice.

Perhaps the underutilization of more uniwrsal standards can be attributed to cultural dilemmas. It would appear that the pull of culture is strong. Koreans, raised in the Confucian ethic regard the family as the unit of sul"\\iwl and nurturance. The damaged individual needs to be restored to such a context, ewn if his/her natural family is not awilable. A surrogate family needs to be found. American and most Western social workers beliew that with the assistance of a Rhelping stranger" who has studied his particular case and can offer counseling and advice, the individual should rely on inner resources, self-awareness and independence to make the best possible use of the isolation forced upon him/her.

lm plications for Social Work Practice

The broader implication for social work practice relates to the idea that we can learn from each other. Social work is not a set of uniwrsal principles that can be applied across the board to ewry case. Social work depends on what the culture of a country regards as "natural," "good, R and the ideal state to which the client should be restored so as to function "normally.R The ROK sees the disadwntaged client as lacking a family unit which s/he can trust, and so, tries to devise a substitute. America, Australia and Western-oriented countries see the disadvantaged client as being forced prematurely to fend for him/herself when there is no real altematiw except to become self-reliant during the transition to full adulthood. This process is regarded as one that should be encouraged by insights concerning Rmental health" and lessons in autonomy.

When these two opposed premises confront each other, it is hard to combine a practice deri\ed from one premise and attach it to a practice deriwd from another. It is for this reason that another culture's social work practice fascinates but resists incorporation into another culture. Yet, real learning can take place from opposing points of view.

Conclusion

This pilot study follows on the limited prior research conducted by Findlay and McCormack (2005), as well as Kondrat and Ramanathan, (1996). Endea\Oring to reach across cultures, it is the first empirical study in Korea to assess social work practitioners' perceptions and attitudes toward globalization. The results of this study cannot be generalized beyond this sample because a conwnience sampling was utilized. Howewr, the study provides a first glimpse into what, for the most part, has been terra incognita.

It seems, in general, a majority of social workers understand and support the notion of being a global citizen and indicate a personal interest in globalization. Few, howewr, claim to utilize global policies such as United Nations charters with any regular frequency. Yet, there is owrwhelming support for social work's role in dealing with global issues. Korean social workers can see the relewnce of globalization to social work practice. Also, an owrwhelming majority can see the impact that globalization has on his/her clients. A majority of social workers are able to clearly see the link between local and global issues. Yet they are less likely to be able to discern the influence that the ROK has on other countries in terms of influencing social work/policy at a globallewl.

* The original surwy questionnaire used in this study can be obtained from the author through written request.

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About the Author

Terrence D. Henderson is a Canadian expatriate who has resided in Seoul, Korea for owr 10 years. He is currently Director of International Affairs at Sungkyunkwan Uniwrsity, Korea's oldest uniwrsity, founded in 1398. He has been working on the dewlopment of the uniwrsity's globalization policy for the past 9 years. He is currently working on his doctoral dissertation in social welfare. He completed his MSW and BSW in Canada. He resides in Korea with his wife and two children.

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