Global social work in a political context: Radical perspectives

How is social work shaped by global issues and international problems and how should it address them? Taking a radical perspective, this book reveals what we can learn from different approaches from across the globe.

Table of Contents:
Introduction, Global Social Work in a Political Context; Part 1: The Political Context of Contemporary Social Work; The Political Economy of Social Work; Neoliberalism, social work and the state: retreat or restructuring?; The privatisation of social work and social care; Part 2: Social Work Politics: Past and Present; Social Work’s Horrible Histories; Social work as a praxis for liberation: the case of Latin American Reconceptualization; Refugees, Migrants and Social Work; Social work, climate change and the Anthropocene; Part 3: Debating the Politics of Social Work Today; A New Politics of Social Work?; The case for a social justice based global social work definition; Conclusion: Making history.

About the Author :
Iain Ferguson is Honorary Professor of Social Work and Social Policy at the University of the West of Scotland and co-editor of Critical and Radical Social Work: an International Journal. Vasilios Ioakimidis is Professor of Social Work and Director of the Centre for Social Work at the University of Essex. Michael Lavalette has published widely on radical social work and contemporary social movements. He is co-editor of Critical and Radical Social Work journal.

Review :
"An analysis of the challenges of critical and radical social work in the face of the crisis of capital and its impacts. Current and essential reading." Elaine Rossetti Behring, Grupo de Estudos e Pesquisas do Orçamento Público e da Seguridade Social "An original and topical addition to the literature that makes a strong case for critical analysis of economic, political and environmental conditions to inform development of radical practices." Karen Lyons, London Metropolitan University "A radical route map for sustainable international social work for the 21st century, built on a crucial critique of global politics: essential reading." Peter Beresford, Professor of Citizen Participation, University of Essex "This thoroughly researched and provocative book calls for a new politics of social work. It demands that social workers everywhere become proactive in confronting current global economic, environmental and social crises." Elizabeth Whitmore, Carleton University, Canada