Clinical social work theories developed in the western culture have been used for many years in Korean social work field without any serious verification for its fitness. This paper investigates some aspects of the cultural differences between the western and the eastern world. In addition, theories of language and narrative are proposed as an alternative to the current social work practice theories. Since language and narrative reflect one’s culture and history, social workers in any culture are able to use their own language and narrative to construct the desirable reality for their clients.
Key Words: western social work practice theories, the language and narrative theories