If you are outside the UK and wish to send us an article, pictures or videos about social work in your country please email us by clicking here. We encourage contributions in the following languages: English, French, Spanish, Greek, Arabic, Hindu/Tamil and Italian. Please also send a very brief abstract in English.

International Articles

In this section we aim to provide space for discussion around international social work, welfare and social justice.

In September 2008, a group of social work academics and practitioners met up as part of the 3rd SWAN annual conference in Liverpool. This meeting included delegates from Greece, Spain, India, South Africa, Colombia, Japan, Canada and the United States.

The delegates discussed the condition of social work in their countries and highlighted the impact of neo-liberalism at an international level. More importantly, they agreed to facilitate a debate about the existing “resources of hope” and the promotion of social work practice engaged with social justice.

 The main aspects of this debate include:
* The impact of neoliberalism, marketisation and managerialism on social work and social pedagogy
* The links between social work and social movements
*The importance and significance of local social work traditions
* Alternative interpretations and practices of social work across the globe and how this affects our understandings of “international social work”
* Encouragement of an inclusive debate about the future direction of social work, involving social work academics, practitioners, students, service users and representative organisations (both professional and trade union).

We would like to continue this discussion on these webpages and encourage comments, articles, news, pictures and videos about the state of social work in your country. Please contact us by following the instructions at the top of this page.

Contributions are welcome in the following and other languages: English, French, Spanish, Greek, Arabic, Hindu/Tamil and Italian. It would be useful if contributions are accompanied by a very brief abstract in English.