From human needs to social needs in African social work: the ubuntu perspective

Abstract

This conceptual article argues that focusing on human needs as a guiding post for Africa’s social work mission creates a vacuum in understanding needs. Hence, human life is wrongly conceptualized as individualistic rather than a social phenomenon. Using the Ubuntu perspective, we articulate that an individuals’ humanity is embedded in relationships and connections with other people in the social environment. Thus, being human in Africa cannot be detached from the social. As such, our conceptual analysis proposes that the social work profession in Africa could reframe human needs as social needs. This reframing is based on four conceptual logics: the embedded-ness of being human in social relations; the knowledge of needs being social knowledge; the satisfaction of needs being social actions; and the resources-institutional framework that addresses needs being social. This reconceptualization contributes to new ways of thinking about needs and practice actions through which the society can tackle the needs of all people, thereby enhancing social work as a social justice profession.