Poetic epistemological turbulence: towards an interactive framework for social work knowledge construction

Purpose – Conceptually anchored in Morin’s complexity paradigm, this study aims to address the knowledge construction process in social work. It introduces epistemologically interactive social work and proposes poetic epistemological turbulence – a transdisciplinary framework comprising rupture, construction and reflection as simultaneous, interpenetrating dimensions. Design/methodology/approach – The authors intertwine Baptista’s circular relationship proposition and Morin’s complexity theory as analytical frameworks. The study explores how social work can transform cycles of knowledge immobilisation into processes of learning, adaptation and reinvention. Findings – Social work reveals epistemic tensions between evidence-based demands and complex realities,  advocating transdisciplinary approaches that embrace contradictions and paradoxes. The proposed transdisciplinary conjectural framework characterises knowledge as located, relational and emerging. Research limitations/implications – The emphasis on embracing contradictions and maintaining productive tensions assumes that organisational cultures can tolerate ambiguity and uncertainty. Professional settings characterised by strict regulatory requirements and liability concerns, such as healthcare, or by bureaucratic rigidity, may resist the epistemological flexibility and imaginative inquiry required by the framework. Originality/value – This study introduces a framework for knowledge construction that embraces contradictions and complexity. By integrating Morin’s complexity theory with Baptista’s circular knowledge framework, this proposal suggests transdisciplinary methods that transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries to address the persistent identity and knowledge production challenges in social work.