ABSTRACT
Taking language as the focus of research is well established in the human sciences and cultural studies. The 'linguistic turn' associated with post modernism disguises a long tradition of studying language. Research on professionals which focuses on language has been wide-ranging but with little use of narrative theory. The study of reality as socially constructed rather than objectively available is also a well established tradition in sociology, particularly in social problems research. To approach social work as available in and through language is to step back from the rational decision-making approach. The social worker can take what has been offered here to make her/his stories stronger and more persuasive to critical audiences. David Silverman has made suggestions about the policy implications of his micro-sociology in a number of studies. In his research in various clinics and counselling settings, he has observed how patients, carers, nurses and doctors interact with one another.
