Social Workers Affecting Social Policy is the first book to undertake a cross-national study of social worker engagement in social-policy formulation processes. At its core, it asks how social workers influence social policy in various national settings. It offers insights into social worker involvement in policy change, the social work discourse, and education in different countries. It will be of interest to social work practitioners, students, educators, and researchers, as well as to social-policy scholars.

A rapidly growing number of social workers are expressing an interest in and concern for global situations adversely affecting the well-being of millions of people. This book aims to encourage and inform such involvement by drawing together the practice wisdom gradually emerging within the broad scope of international social work practice.

International Social Work: Issues, Strategies, and Programs, Second Edition draws together the practice wisdom emerging within the broad scope of international social work practice and its role in contributing to the international community's efforts in combating the major global social problems of poverty, conflict and postconflict reconstruction, the development of countries and disadvantaged populations, migration and displacement, and the needs of specific populations such as child soldiers and AIDS orphans. Utilizing an integrated perspectives approach incorporating global, human rights, ecological and social development perspectives, the International Social Work, 2e is designed to prepare social workers, human services professionals, development practitioners who desire to play significant roles in responding to modern global challenges that are critical to the well-being of people, communities, nations and ultimately of us all.

Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- Preface -- Introduction: defining the area -- 1: Educating for the social professions - an international perspective -- 2: The international social work scene -- 3: The state, welfare and social work -- 4: International perspectives on 'the family' -- 5: Poverty - a global problem -- 6: Migration and refugees -- 7: Disasters in international perspective -- 8: Some conclusions and indications for the future -- References -- General index -- Index of authors cited

International Social Work: Professional Action in an Interdependent World is a comprehensive introduction that places social work history, practice, policy, and education within an international perspective.

This book advocates the development of international social work, both as offering an important perspective on practice at local level and as a distinct form of cross-border and supra-national activity. The author argues that the effects of globalization and regional policies on the welfare sector have implications for the users of social services and community development programmes which require all social professionals to have a better understanding of these processes and consequences and of the international networks through which they themselves might operate. Some of the material used is of a comparative nature, for instance in relation to the education of social professionals or their relationship with the state or the family and examples are drawn from a wide range of countries. But there is also a thematic treatment of three phenomena which are seen to have significant international dimensions, that is, poverty, migration and disasters. The book considers the role of social professionals in relation to these themes and identifies greater scope for intervention in relation to a range of social problems at international levels.

Furthering social justice and human rights is a fundamental principle underlying the social work profession. Engaging in social policy formulation processes is a major route through which social workers can realise this goal. This type of social work activity has been termed ‘policy practice’. The aim of this book is to shed light on policy practice in social work discourse, education and practice in eight liberal democracies. This is the first effort to undertake a cross-national study of social worker engagement in social policy formulation processes. The book offers insights into questions such as ‘what is the importance attributed to social worker involvement in policy change in the social work discourse and education in different countries?’ and ‘how do social workers influence social policy in various national settings?’ These issues are relevant to social worker practitioners, students, educators and researchers, as well as to social policy scholars, who are interested in the role of professionals in social policy formulation.