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As with many modern, Western professions, social work adheres to the globalization agenda by holding to certain universal views of social life which can be applied to all situations and contexts. Despite the profession’s expressed concern for ‘starting where the client is at’ social work is following Western assumptions and beliefs and it seems unwilling to take seriously the realities of the social situation in which many people live their daily lives. The abundance of literature that critiques Anglo-American approaches, as reviewed in the Introduction, reflects the profession’s proselytizing attitude and struggle to respond effectively in non-Western contexts.