Vol. 54 No. 1 (2026): Published March 30, 2025
DOI https://doi.org/10.18799/26584956/2026/1/1988
Gender aspect of social workers value orientations in the context of postmodern culture
The modern professional culture of social work in Russia is being shaped at the complex intersection of global trends, historical traditions, and gender-specific features. This article investigates the problem of professional ethics formation through an analysis of social workers' value orientations within the context of postmodern culture. The gender aspect becomes central to understanding value dynamics, as the profession is historically feminized while its contemporary development is associated with an increasing number of male specialists. Aim. To identify and theoretically conceptualize gender differences in the value orientations of social workers through the prism of postmodernist philosophy. Methods. Empirical study employing the methods of M. Rokeach, E.B. Fantalova, and O.F. Potemkina (sample: 60 social workers in Tomsk, N=60), statistical analysis (Mann–Whitney U-test), as well as a theoretical analysis based on the concepts of M. Castells, G. Deleuze, F. Guattari, and M. Foucault. Results. The authors formed two distinct value profiles: female specialists are more oriented toward altruism, the work process, and emotional relations, while men prioritize results, freedom, and independence. The theoretical interpretation allowed these differences to be described not as a binary opposition but as rhizomatic "lines of flight" and the result of the micropolitics of power, where a feminized discourse of care collides with a masculine counter-discourse of efficiency. The authors conclude that digitalization and social transformations are of an ambiguous nature. This, by instigating changes in the professional environment, necessitates a shift toward flexible, personalized approaches in education, management, and the ethical regulation of social work, taking gender diversity into account.
For citation: Kalugina V.O., Sukhushina E.V. Gender aspect of social workers value orientations in the context of postmodern culture. Journal of Wellbeing Technologies, 2026, vol. 54, no. 1, pp. 1−15. https://doi.org/10.18799/26584956/2026/1/1988
Keywords:
value orientations, social work, gender, postmodernism, professional ethics, rhizome, discourse
References:
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