THE MARGINALIZED VOICE: HOW DOES NEOLIBERAL GOVERNANCE RESHAPE THE PROFESSIONAL AUTONOMY OF SOCIAL WORKERS IN ARMENIA?

Abstract

This article examines the marginalization of social workers’ voices within the context of Armenia’s recent social protection reforms. Utilizing the theoretical lens of political social work, the study explores how the introduction of integrated case management and new family vulnerability assessment systems impacts professional practice. Drawing on critical, structural, and radical traditions, the analysis suggests that while reforms aim for administrative efficiency and activation through employment, they often rely on neoliberal logic that prioritizes algorithmic indicators over nuanced professional judgment. The article identifies significant systemic risks, including the individualization of poverty, the reduction of professional autonomy, and the rise of a "silent compliance" culture. Ultimately, the paper argues that for social work to remain an instrument of social justice, it must reclaim its political dimension, ensuring that the lived realities of vulnerable populations are not lost to bureaucratic digitalization.​