Book Reviews 109
Although a survey of human societies in the 1990s would disclose most
(although not all) societies to be male-dominated, several authors in this volume
stress the importance of studying the reasons for this. Particularly helpful in this
type of investigation is the research on non-human primate societies where male
dominance is not so evident Archaeology also discloses evidence that patriarchy
has not been the norm historically.
Sex and gender hierarchies cannot be explained by genitals and chromosomes:
the term "gender" relates to social constructions, meaning that gender hierarchies
are not natural but are cultural and are consequently subject to change. The
emphasis on change in this book prompts the reader to question any previous
assumptions relating to gender hierarchies and urges them to consider avenues
through which gender hierarchies can be transformed.
Gender hierarchies are one of the most pervasive forms of inequality. Gender
is used as a basis of a system of discrimination which has led to women being
disadvantaged in all spheres of human society, in education, nutrition and employment
As such this volume is an important and valuable contribution to our
understanding of how this inequality can be challenged in the world today.
Reviewed by Christine Marlow, Fulbright Scholar, University of New Mexico,
USA (on attachment at School of Social Work, Zimbabwe).
Clinical Social Work Supervision (2nd edition), Carlton E Munson, The Haworth
Press, New York, 1993, ISBN 1-56024-285-X (p/b), 492 pp inc index, Price N/K.
Dr Munson argues that good clinical supervision is a necessity, not a luxury in the
current practice world characterised by increasing demands for accountability,
extremely complex and difficult situations, and ethical dilemmas. Clinical Social
Work Supervision is an attempt to provide social workers with an essential understanding
of the supervision process, ways to enhance the value of supervision and
the challenges and opportunities for supervision in special settings, client groups,
and therapeutic models. The book incorporates research findings, case examples,
as well as more theoretical discussions.
Dr Munson presents the history of practice knowledge and social work supervision
as a basis for understanding current practice and supervision concerns. He
then discusses the important role of values and ethics in social work practice and
the important role of the supervisor in grounding social work practice within the
ethical requirements of social work. According to Munson, supervisors tend to be
either active (more direct) or reactive (more indirect) as well as tending to be
philosophers, theoreticians, or technicians. Although Munson indicates that the
important issue in supervision is the use of the appropriate style as the need arises,
110 Book Reviews
he tends to be especially critical of the philosophical and theoretical styles. While
supervisees also have a style in supervision, this style is strongly influenced by that
of the supervisor.
The author provides an excellent discussion of useful techniques which can be
used by the supervisor, including an educational assessment of the supervisee, case
material, case presentations, questions, contracting and reading. He discusses use
of audiovisual and action techniques in some detail. Good supervision should recognise
the level of knowledge of the supervise and provide continuity. Although
social workers are often reluctant to recognise authority issues, it is important to
understand the inherent role of authority in the supervision process and the
organisational context
Munson argues that both theory and technique are important but warns against
using theory in an abstract way not tied to the practice demands facing the
supervisee. Supervisors need to be well-grounded in the theories they use with
supervisees and to develop useful interventions based on the theory. Evaluation of
practice is an essential role of supervision. Effective supervision includes constructive
use of criticism of clinical material to promote professional growth.
Given the organisational context of most social work practice, supervisors need to
help staff deal with administrative matters as effectively as possible.
In view of the stressful nature of social work practice, supervisors also need to
recognise the signs of stress in their supervisees and themselves and to find
appropriate ways to address it.
Munson also discusses some of the unique challenges facing social work and
supervision in several settings and practice modes, medical, gerontology, criminal
justice (especially group homes), rural communities, family practice, and feminist
practice. The book concludes with a discussion regarding the need to be specific
about both the creative and scientific aspects of practice.
I appreciated the author's insistence upon drawing boundaries between supervision
and therapy and his concern for techniques used in supervision and teaching
in general which tend to blur these distinctions and place students and supervisees
in vulnerable positions. In his discussion of administration issues, the author
describes several types of administrators. Unfortunately all of these types are
extremely negative and give a needlessly problematic image of the situation facing
supervisors. In his description of family therapy he presents a very helpful grid for
understanding the role of many different family therapy techniques. Munson is
very skeptical of the value of role playing in supervision; but students in family
therapy classes have found it very useful provided adequate care is taken in the
structuring and in the debriefing process.
As the preceding description suggests, this is a relatively comprehensive
treatment of supervision and should be useful for beginning supervisors and
thought provoking for experienced supervisors. The definition of clinical practice
used in this book is sufficiently broad to include social work activities with
Book Reviews 111
individuals and families in various settings. Given the very complicated situations
facing many families in Africa and the limited social work resources available,
good supervision would seem particularly important in providing effective services.
Reviewed by Mary P van Hook, Northwestern College, Orange City, Iowa, USA.
Adjustment in Africa: Reforms, Results, and the Road Ahead, A World Bank
Policy Research Report, The World Bank, Washington D C, 1994, ISBN: 0-8213-
2787-9. Price: N/K.
Implementing Structural Adjustment Programmes in Africa has not been an easy
task. This is clearly demonstrated in the report made on policy research by the
World Bank. A study on adjustment was carried out on twenty-nine countries in
Africa, and only six showed some improvement in macro-economic policies and
stronger results in economic performance.
The survey examined macro-economic and sectoral policies and discovered
that poor policies were largely to blame because they did not facilitate growth.
Heavy government spending also contributed to slow growth in the economy.
Those countries with better policies achieved faster growth, but generally government
spending was high, increasing from the early 1960s and reaching a peak of
17% of GDP in 1988. Even though Africa suffered a fall in terms of trade between
1970-80, it was still expected to pay for its external loans. The report clearly
demonstrates how loans and grants affect public income and how changes in terms
of trade have an impact on private income.
The report reveals to the interest of the reader how the macro-economic
situation reached a crisis proportion in sub-Saharan Africa. Scholars will be
interested to see how the report explains the impact of debt crisis in our African
countries and how this has led Africa to lose its access to commercial lending. The
World Bank explains that the sub-Saharan countries can improve balance of
payments by reestablishing a balance between income and spending. It cites
pitfalls that befall Africa and goes on to explain some of the inappropriate
responses that perpetuate.
Sub-Saharan African countries are supposed to have promoted in unleashing
markets, accompanied by high rates of investment in order for competition to help
them improve their allocation of economic resources. Thereportpointsoutthatthe
World Bank in 1991 had recommended countries to try to get price signals right
to promote a good business atmosphere. The survey revealed that governments did
not handle agricultural and trade issues satisfactorily but did well in reducing
administration costs and in the rationing of foreign exchange.