Pushing Boundaries in Social Work Around the World, Vol. 1: Women, Children and Isms (SpringerBriefs in Advancing Social Work and Social Work Education)

This book provides examples of how social workers have pushed back against civic and private corporate powers that attempt to control women, children, racialised and stigmatised groups, migrants, and indigenous peoples, and public policy agendas that continue to vulnerabilise and marginalise people.

This is the first book of a two-volume set that focuses on how authors have pushed boundaries in a particular field of practice, research or policy in social work. The books are culturally, gender-, and geographically inclusive, with contributors from every inhabited continent. It is future-focused, hopeful, and inspiring: it focuses on solutions rather than merely elaborating problems. The book includes chapters from a continuum of experienced practitioners and early career researchers; this provides a nuanced and accessible view of boundaries from both ends of the career path.

The global definition of social work says that the discipline 'promotes social change and development, social cohesion and the empowerment and liberation of people' but in many nations where social work exists, social workers are expected to act as agents of social control, ensuring that people—particularly 'the poor'—conform to established political and social norms. Most often social workers are initially attracted to the discipline because they want to empower and liberate vulnerabilised and marginalised people and communities. In order to accomplish these high-minded goals, social workers must occasionally push boundaries that confine their practice.

This volume contains eight chapters from social workers who are pushing social work boundaries in their own social and national settings. The contents are organised into two clusters: pushing boundaries for women and children and pushing boundaries against isms and stigma. Each chapter contains learnings that are applicable in different practice settings around the world.

Pushing Boundaries in Social Work Around the World, Vol. 1: Women, Children and Isms inspires social workers to push against the boundaries we impose on ourselves and our discipline. This book helps social workers rediscover the spark that initially drew them to their work.

Mark Henrickson, MDiv, MSW, PhD is retired Professor of Social Work at Massey University, Aotearoa New Zealand. He has published extensively on HIV, sexual and cultural diversity, and international social work. His books include The Origins of Social Care and Social Work: Creating a Global Future, Vulnerability and Marginality in Human Services, and the edited books Getting to Zero: Global Social Work Responds to AIDS, and HIV, Sex and Sexuality in Later Life.  

Darla Spence Coffey, PhD, MSW is a Senior Leadership Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice and a Distinguished Scholar at the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education.  She served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) from 2012-2022.  Her current teaching, writing and research focus on leadership development, interprofessional collaboration, and global social work education.