A Profession Without Gender: Experiences of Male Social Workers in the Municipality of ShkodËr

Bujane Topalli and Arnisa Bushati
University of Shkoder "luigj Gurakuqi"

Abstract

Abstract Since its institutional introduction in Albania in the early 1990s, the social work profession has been characterized by a marked gender imbalance, with men remaining substantially underrepresented relative to women both in higher education programs and across the social services labor market. This persistent disparity constitutes the point of departure for the present qualitative inquiry, which seeks to examine the lived professional experiences of male social workers and to interrogate the extent to which gender membership shapes occupational identity and career progression within the field. The study further aims to critically illuminate the nature and manifestations of gender-based prejudice as encountered and narrated by male practitioners themselves. Data were generated through ten purposively sampled semi-structured interviews conducted with male social workers employed within public and private social service institutions in the Municipality of Shkodër. Thematic analysis of the resulting corpus yielded three principal domains of analytical significance: the structural and interpersonal challenges inherent to social work practice, the relational dynamics governing client engagement, and the pervasive influence of gendered role expectations on professional conduct. The findings indicate that normative gender roles constitute a structuring force in the formation of professional expectations among male social workers, with substantive implications for both individual practice and the broader development of the profession.

Presentation