The wisdom of hindsight : cumulative lessons in activism

![CDATA[This chapter is a reflection on almost 40 years of my social work existence. I have dipped in and out of social work during these years over concerns that dominant paradigms were winning. But with the help of people who have inspired my thinking and concern about not only the state of social work but the state of the world, I discovered it's not possible to take the social worker out of the gal. I present my reflections as a career trajectory from the 1980s on, al­though swerving now and then, as one set of circumstances builds upon another. I believe I can take some liberties after longevity as a social worker. This chapter is about many social work activists, but I author my story within it. It is testament to the leadership, commitment and passion of many in the critical social work sphere who have influenced and shaped my work. It would take an entire chapter, maybe an entire book, to name and discuss such profound influ­ences so just a few are mentioned. Some of the people who have inspired are no longer in the prime of youth; others have sadly died, often prematurely, but each has a long history of working within what we now name as the critical and radical tradition and one that is activist at its core. A new generation of social workers builds upon the work of those who have gone before. Social work, unlike many professions, does not discard their reflections and insights. The profession develops and recreates but remains systemically challenged by unflinching neoliberalism.]]