Ruptura del sentido común del Trabajo Social: tensiones y significados de estudiantes de primer año

Abstract

This paper intends to address the sociocultural identity of first-year students in the Social Work program at Universidad Católica de Temuco (Catholic University of Temuco), Chile, understanding sociocultural identity as the basis of common sense and its expression in the construction of the professional ethos during their training process. The research was based on a qualitative methodology involving two focus groups with five and eight students, respectively. From the narrations collected, an interpretative analysis was conducted of the existing tensions between the students’ initial imaginaries—marked by common sense, religiosity, and assistencialism—and the critical and socio-historical curriculum were analyzed. The results show a process of deconstruction of their initial ideas, which stem from a critical understanding of injustice structures. It is finally concluded that professional training can be configured as a space for epistemic rupture in the face of neoliberal technocratic rationality. Keywords: Social Work. Professional training. Professional ethos. Common sense. Sociocultural identity.