Contents



Preface

Before beginning to consider to edit this book, I must confess a very genuine doubt as to my competency to undertake an edited book project and discourse on global social work. For the last twenty-five years I have been involved in social work teaching, curriculum development, research, and practice in Asia and more recently in Canada. From when the question was asked by Abraham Flexner in 1915 whether social work was a profession, we have come a long way to answer Flexner. Social work has grown in the last 100 years and we need waste no time in answering the same question. But perhaps we need to ask new questions. Social work education, theory, and practice have evolved over the century to be transformative as the profession is informed by contemporary debates, critical reflections, and research. I have had the opportunity to live, work, and teach in different countries, cultures, and professional settings. My involvement with the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) as member at large (2012-2016) and with the Asian Pacific Association of Social Work Education (APASWE) provided me with unique insights in to social work as an international and global profession. In the last fifty years, there has been a lot of research on global social work being published, focusing on the international dimension of social work that recognizes

the complexity of working across borders and cultures. This book aims to

When the invitation to edit this book was offered to me by the IntechOpen, I took it is an opportunity and risk and accepted the offer even while open book publishing in social work is not common. We received a huge response and educators from Canada, USA, South Africa, Ireland, Alaska, and other counties shared their research insights and scholarship that reflects the current globalization and its impacts on social work education and practice. The chapters included in this book challenge current thinking and thus generate new brave ideas for further development of global social work as a distinct social work practice. Aa a reader you will find an eclectic mix of ideas and unique identities that inform global social work practices. The book is divided in to two parts/sections. The first section is on Decolonizing Social Work. The second part focused on Empowering Social Work Research and Field Practice. In exploring these themes*, Global Social Work - Cutting Edge Issues and Critical Reflections* addresses issues regarding

will be a useful addition to the ongoing efforts.

cooperation, and passion.

contribute to further the existing knowledge base on global social work. There are currently increasing numbers of social work programs both in the global south and north offering a wide range of international content and I do hope that this book

community dynamics, colonization, race, immigrants, human rights, social action, and politics of populism. The authors have challenged traditional views about professional imperialism and were able to introduce global social work discourse in new and engaging directions. I am very grateful to the IntechOpen team and for the opportunity given to me to edit this book. I owe sincere thanks to the chapter contributors, who despite many constraints contributed to this collective effort that is now an example of a global collaborative project based on collegiality,

*by Ann-Christin Torpsten*
