The Empowerment Model: A Critical Reflection of Empowerment in Chinese Culture

The empowerment model has long dominated social work practice in Western countries. Many social workers in Hong Kong use this model regardless of the social or cultural context. In this article the author shares local social work practice experiences in Hong Kong and suggests that the empowerment model may need adaptation in Chinese communities. An empowerment approach in communities influenced by traditional Chinese culture may result in types of pseudo empowerment: pragmatic empowerment, autocratic empowerment, hidden empowerment, lonely romantic empowerment, and fashionable empowerment. A culturally sensitive empowerment model for Chinese communities may have to be gradual and harmonious and empower both the individual and his or her significant others.