The book does not shy away from self-critique. It analyzes a dark period when social work, influenced by North American functionalism and developmentalism, became a bureaucratic tool. Social workers were trained as "case managers" in large health institutions, losing their political edge. Evangelista Ramirez labels this the period of "methodism"—obsessed with casework, group work, and community organization as neutral techniques, divorced from class struggle.
Her approach in this volume is not to present a monolithic story but to curate multiple perspectives. She brings together a cohort of Mexican historians and social work theorists to examine the profession through various lenses: the positivist, the functionalist, the Marxist, and the reconceptualization movement. Her editorial work ensures that the book avoids the twin pitfalls of hagiography (celebrating the profession without critique) and nihilism (dismissing its entire history as mere charity). The book does not shy away from self-critique
Discusses the "reconceptualization" of the field, moving away from being seen simply as "social assistants" toward a more scientific and professional identity. Google Books Principal Themes State Relationship: Her editorial work ensures that the book avoids
Uno de los aportes más significativos del texto es el análisis del periodo colonial y post-independiente. Evangelista Ramírez explica con detalle cómo la "Caridad" (motivada por la fe y la salvación del alma) fue el mecanismo principal de atención a la pobreza durante la Colonia. La autora ilustra cómo la Iglesia Católica era el eje central de esta estructura. enred-arte.com Before examining the book itself
*Eli Evangelista* es un libro de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) sobre la historia del trabajo social en México, enred-arte.com
Before examining the book itself, it is essential to understand the academic climate of Mexico and Latin America around the year 2000. Social work, often perceived in some circles as a purely technical or charitable vocation, was fighting a battle for academic legitimacy. Many historical accounts prior to 2001 were either Eurocentric (focusing on the English Poor Laws and the German Elberfeld System ) or fragmented into local anecdotes without a cohesive theoretical framework.