ABSTRACT
A generic feature of interaction is the way in which members of a group construct verbal exchanges that not only sustain action but affirm the symbolic structure of the group or membership (Becker, 1972, p.102). This is no more prominent than in professional settings. Here, the idea that good work is displayed through a good account is a pervasive feature of many occupational groups. For example, the hospital ward round (Arluke, 1977) and the hospital casualty department (Hughes, 1977) involve oral traditions that the participant must master in order to be seen as a competent member. These rhetorical features of occupational practice have been observed among court personnel (Carlen, 1976, p.102-3) and in the presentations of expert witnesses, such as psychiatrists in juvenile court (Emerson, 1969, pp.249-267). In short ‘speaking on behalf of a clientele is a key activity of people processing occupations. Yet, relatively little attention has been paid to the varying contexts in which oral claims to an occupational competence occur. This is certainly so in relation to social work. However, this chapter now seeks to demonstrate the broad processes that constitute rhetorical presentation in a welfare setting, with a specific regard to supervisory encounters.
