Abstract
The authors discuss findings from a qualitative research project concerning applied ethics that was undertaken at a general family counseling agency in southern Ontario. Interview data suggested that workers need to dialogue about ethical dilemmas, but that such dialogue demands a high level of risk taking that feels unsafe in the organization. This finding led the researchers to examine their own sense of "breaking rules" by suggesting an intersubjective view of ethics that requires a "safe space" for ethical dialogue. The authors critique the individualistic tendency of professional ethics as an effect of power that is tied to the history of professionalism, and discuss the role of bureaucracies in diminishing a central role for ethics in helping services. The authors call for elaboration of critical perspectives on ethics in order to promote the centrality of ethics in the helping professions.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 307-320 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Ethics and Behavior |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| State | Published - Dec 1 1996 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- Applied ethics
- Counseling bureaucracies
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychology(all)
Cite this
Learning from broken rules : Individualism, bureaucracy, and ethics. / Rossiter, Amy; Walsh-Bowers, Richard; Prilleltensky, Isaac.
In: Ethics and Behavior, Vol. 6, No. 4, 01.12.1996, p. 307-320.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Learning from broken rules
T2 - Individualism, bureaucracy, and ethics
AU - Rossiter, Amy
AU - Walsh-Bowers, Richard
AU - Prilleltensky, Isaac
PY - 1996/12/1
Y1 - 1996/12/1
N2 - The authors discuss findings from a qualitative research project concerning applied ethics that was undertaken at a general family counseling agency in southern Ontario. Interview data suggested that workers need to dialogue about ethical dilemmas, but that such dialogue demands a high level of risk taking that feels unsafe in the organization. This finding led the researchers to examine their own sense of "breaking rules" by suggesting an intersubjective view of ethics that requires a "safe space" for ethical dialogue. The authors critique the individualistic tendency of professional ethics as an effect of power that is tied to the history of professionalism, and discuss the role of bureaucracies in diminishing a central role for ethics in helping services. The authors call for elaboration of critical perspectives on ethics in order to promote the centrality of ethics in the helping professions.
AB - The authors discuss findings from a qualitative research project concerning applied ethics that was undertaken at a general family counseling agency in southern Ontario. Interview data suggested that workers need to dialogue about ethical dilemmas, but that such dialogue demands a high level of risk taking that feels unsafe in the organization. This finding led the researchers to examine their own sense of "breaking rules" by suggesting an intersubjective view of ethics that requires a "safe space" for ethical dialogue. The authors critique the individualistic tendency of professional ethics as an effect of power that is tied to the history of professionalism, and discuss the role of bureaucracies in diminishing a central role for ethics in helping services. The authors call for elaboration of critical perspectives on ethics in order to promote the centrality of ethics in the helping professions.
KW - Applied ethics
KW - Counseling bureaucracies
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0030337011&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0030337011&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0030337011
VL - 6
SP - 307
EP - 320
JO - Ethics and Behavior
JF - Ethics and Behavior
SN - 1050-8422
IS - 4
ER -