This book focuses on ecosocial work within the context of community practice. It aims to provide insights on understanding key issues, concepts and debates surrounding the mainstreaming of ecosocial work for sustainable community development. Divided into three parts, the first part of the book focuses on ecosocial work and ecosocial change around water, the ecology of coastal communities experiencing climate change, and environmental degradation. The second part includes chapters on ecosocial change and community practice in other kinds of bioregions. Finally, the third part primarily focuses on pedagogical approaches for teaching ecosocial work. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Community Practice.
Table of Contents:
1. Ecosocial work and social change in community practice Part I. Socio-Ecological Problems, Policies, and Interventions Related to Coastal Ecosystems 2. Overfishing, social problems, and ecosocial sustainability in Senegalese fishing communities 3. Ecosocial change and community resilience: The case of “Bönan” in glocal transition 4. “Todo ha sido a pulmón”: Community organizing after disaster in Puerto Rico 5. An intersectionality-based analysis of high seas policy making stagnation and equity in United Nations negotiations Part II. Ecological Injustices from the Legacy of Colonialism 6. Collective survival strategies and anti-colonial practice in ecosocial work 7. Indigenous perspectives for strengthening social responses to global environmental changes: A response to the social work grand challenge on environmental change 8. “Let’s talk about the real issue”: Localized perceptions of environment and implications for ecosocial work practice 9. Urban flooding, social equity, and “backyard” green infrastructure: An area for multidisciplinary practice 10. Clean and green organizing in urban neighborhoods: Measuring perceived and objective outcomes Part III. Contradictions, Connections, and Challenges between the Global and Local Communities 11. Local–global linkages: Challenges in organizing functional communities for ecosocial justice 12. “Mining is like a search and destroy mission”: The case of Silver City 13. Amassing rural power in the fight against fracking in Maryland: A report from the field 14. The future of environmental social work: Looking to community initiatives for models of prevention 15. Green grey hairs: A life course perspective on environmental engagement 16. Preparing social workers for ecosocial work practice and community building 17. Integrating youth participation and ecosocial work: New possibilities to advance environmental and social justice 18. Social work students’ perspective on environmental justice: Gaps and challenges for preparing students 19. Nature and social work pedagogy: How U.S. social work educators are integrating issues of the natural environment into their teaching
About the Author :
Komalsingh Rambaree is an associate professor of social work at the University of Gävle, Sweden. He has been involved in several community work projects with youth and adolescents, as well as with coastal communities in Mauritius and some other Western Indian Ocean countries. He is currently engaged in teaching, learning, and researching issues related to ecosocial/green social work, international social work, adolescent and youth development, and computer assisted qualitative data analysis with ATLAS-ti.
Meredith C. F. Powers is an associate professor in the department of social work at UNC Greensboro, USA. Her applied scholarship includes climate justice, climate migration, ecosocial worldviews, and eco-therapy. She is the Founding Director of the Climate Justice Program of IFSW and of the Green/EcoSocial Work Collaborative Network.
Richard J. Smith is a native of Michigan. He currently serves as a core advisor for the International Ecocity Standards project of Ecocity Builders, Inc. In Detroit, he serves on the Hope Village Steering Committee and the Urban Learning and Leadership Collaborative. Smith's research has been published in the Journal of Urban Affairs, Journal of Policy Practice, International Journal of Social Welfare, Social Work, Urban Studies, and others.
