International Issues In Social Work And Social Welfare

The underlying frame of social work is the nation state, and it is from within the state that welfare strategies and social policies are devised and implemented. However, post-colonialism, globalisation, migration and the associated implications for human rights, social justice and social welfare policies contest the idea of a clearly defined space for social work and present new challenges for researchers and practitioners. Transnational Social Work and Social Welfare argues for the increased importance of the transnational perspective in social work theory and practice. The book challenges the idea of the nation state as a given entity and argues that globalization and an increasing number of people crossing borders must have an impact on the theories and strategies of social work. The international contributors are critical of a restricted focus on a geographically defined space and the impact on work with clients. With cases covering China, France, India, UK, Germany, Malaysia, Israel, Turkey, the book highlights the challenges as well as the opportunities this new perspective can open up for theories and strategies in social work. It will be of interest to students, researchers and social workers interested in migration, social care, poverty and cultural competency in health and social care.

Social work is a profession that is increasingly involved with issues which have a global dimension. This Handbook tackles the global/local aspect of social work in its various forms and interrogates the key concerns that societies are facing through an international lens. The contributors show that, with an appreciation of commonalities and differences, local practices and appropriate forms of international activity can be better developed. Areas covered include: - Analysis of ′International social work′ - Globalisation and indigenisation - Social justice and human rights - Poverty and livelihoods - Ecological issues - Migration - Education, theory, research and practice - Social work in different settings - Religion and spirituality - Responses to disasters and conflicts - Life course perspectives - Regional perspectives - Future directions With a truly international range of contributions, the Handbook incorporates perspectives from Asia, Africa, Europe, Australasia, the Middle East and the Americas. It will be an invaluable resource for undergraduates, postgraduates, researchers and academics working in the fields of social work, social welfare, human services, and community development worldwide, as well as service providers and policy makers in the international arena.

James Midgley provides a broad overview of social welfare, outlining key institutions, terminology, historical research, and approaches. He also details reasons for the existence of international social welfare and the challenges that arise from it. The author includes an important section on applied international social welfare that addresses the concerns of practitioners--concerns that have been neglected in much of the literature in the field. An entire section of the book is devoted to issues of social work practice, social developments, the activities of international agencies, and their collaborative efforts. While practical application is an important focus of the book, several chapters deal with key theoretical debates in the field. The author also includes descriptive chapters that provide comprehensive accounts of world social conditions and social welfare institutions.

In this singular collection, indigenous experts describe the social welfare systems of fifteen East Asian and Pacific Island nations and locales. Vastly understudied, these lands offer key insight into the successes and failures of Western and native approaches to social work, suggesting new directions for practice and research in both local and global contexts. Combining international experiences and professional knowledge, contributors illuminate the role of history and culture in shaping the social welfare systems of Cambodia, China, Hong Kong (SAR, China), Indonesia, Malaysia, the Micronesian region (including the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam [Unincorporated Territory, U.S.A.], Marshall Islands, Northern Mariana Islands [Commonwealth, U.S.A.], and Palau), Samoa and American Samoa (Unincorporated Territory, U.S.A.), South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. The contributors link the values and issues that concern populaces most to the development of social work practice, policy, and research. Sharlene B. C. L. Furuto then conducts a comparative analysis of the essays including their data and social service programs, highlighting the similarities and differences between the evolution of social welfare in these nations and locales. She contrasts their indigenous approaches, the responses of governments and NGOs to social issues, the availability of social work education, as well as API models, paradigms, and templates, and the overall status of the social work profession. Furuto also adds a chapter comparing the distinct social welfare systems of Samoa and American Samoa. The only volume to focus exclusively on social welfare in East Asia and the Pacific, this anthology holds immense value for practitioners and researchers eager for global perspectives.

International Social Work Practice compares and contrasts divergent social work approaches in countries around the world, providing students with a unique perspective on social work as it is actually practised. Using case studies from frontline practitioners from across the globe, this innovative new textbook stimulates critical thinking about international social work practice issues. Providing a review of both country-specific social work practices and universal social work issues, the text looks at a variety of core social work topics, framed here in terms of CSWE competencies. Set within a theoretical framework presented in the introductory chapter, the subjects covered include: child welfare intimate partner violence family conflict and communication elder care substance abuse trauma. Each chapter presents several case studies exploring range of issues within the broader topic and each case study is commented on by two narratives from social work academics and practitioners from different countries, providing different cultural perspectives. Taking a practical hands-on approach, this text includes a dedicated section for classroom use, with discussion questions, classroom exercises and additional cases for your own analysis. It will be particularly useful to BSW and MSW students taking courses in international social work, practice, social welfare and human behaviour.

Global social work: crossing borders, blurring boundaries is a collection of ideas, debates and reflections on key issues concerning social work as a global profession, such as its theory, its curricula, its practice, its professional identity; its concern with human rights and social activism, and its future directions. Apart from emphasising the complexities of working and talking about social work across borders and cultures, the volume focuses on the curricula of social work programs from as many regions as possible to showcase what is being taught in various cultural, sociopolitical and regional contexts. Exploring the similarities and differences in social work education across many countries of the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Pacific, the book provides a reference point for moving the current social work discourse towards understanding the local and global context in its broader significance.

The book focuses on three key issues of international social work: - on international dimensions of social problems and how social work practice can deal with these challenges, - on cultural issues social workers have to- think of when practicing, teaching an- developing social work on an international- level and finally - on aspects of international approaches in social work education. The authors are practicing and teaching social- work in several countries and their personal- and educational background allowed them to- gain a profound experience on international- social work. This makes the authors not only- writing about international perspectives but- also from an international perspective.

A survey of the critical issues in international social work. It describes the place of social work in a global economy, the contribution of social work to social development, the role of social workers in addressing ethnic conflicts, and future directions in response to international needs.