Social and Political Contexts of Social Work

This fully-updated, accessible textbook considers the theory and practice of critical social work in addressing inequality and social injustice. It is essential reading for students, educators and practitioners of child and family social work.

This book offers insights into the argument that capitalist society damages human health and well-being. Drawing on and bringing Marx’s theory of alienation forward to the present day, it uniquely links it to well-being.

Bringing together a range of perspectives from practice, lived experience and academia, this is an accessible and timely guide to children’s services reform. Critically considering the impact of the MacAlister Review, the book highlights both the positive and negative aspects of reform, before setting out alternative policy and practice directions.

Essential reading for students and practicing social workers in Wales, this book is the first to examine what makes the Welsh context unique, including the move towards joint children, families and adult provision and the emphasis on early intervention partnership considerations.

This book rethinks social work’s history of both political resistance and complicity with oppressive practice. Comparing international case studies, the book uncovers the role of social workers in politically tense episodes of recent history, skilfully navigating the profession’s collective political past while considering its future.

Designed to support training and CPD in compulsory mental health work, this book looks at assessment, detention, compulsion and coercion in a variety of settings. With emphasis on theory into practice, the book is essential reading for those looking to develop their reflexive and critical analytical skills.

With cross-cultural perspectives from eight European countries, this book provides much-needed research on migration and social work. Focusing on the experiences and integration of refugees and asylum seekers, the text considers the impact of EU policies on borders and integration, and the rise of racism across European societies.

Rather than being seen simply as social policy implementors, in recent decades there has been recognition of the unique insights that social workers can bring to policy formulation. This book offers a theoretical framework for understanding why social workers engage in policy, and the implications for research, education and practice.

Acknowledging the religious influences in social work’s roots, Mark Henrickson proposes that it need not be constrained by it. Addressing current debates in international social work about the relevance of different perspectives, this book will allow practitioners and scholars to create a global future of social work.

This book provides a historical approach to the study of the Settlement House movement in relation to developments in social welfare and the profession of social work across a range of nations.

This book provides an urgent critical exploration of how Social Work can and should respond to the COVID-19 crisis. It examines the ways that social work has responded in different nations across the Global North and Global South.

Rogowski’s 2nd edition of this bestselling textbook responds to the major changes to social work practice since the first edition published. Fully updated with new material, it evaluates social work’s development over the last 150 years and calls for critical and radical changes to policy and practice based on social justice and social change.