Social work in extremis : lessons for social work internationally / edited by Michael Lavalette and Vasilios Ioakimidis.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Lavalette, Michael.

Ioakimidis, Vasilios.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Social service.

Disaster relief.

Physical Description:

v, 191 pages : illustrations, map ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

Bristol, U.K. : Policy Press, 2011.

Summary:

Cases from countries around the world demonstrate the response of 'official' social work, local agencies, and grassroots welfare projects in the face of extreme conditions such as environmental disasters, war and military occupations, forced migrations, political restructuring, and economic crises. These extreme conditions force social workers to reexamine the definition and priorities of social work. Some specific cases involve working with despalzados in Bogota, social welfare services to protect elderly victims of war in Cyprus, and a social worker's-eye view of neoliberalism and Hurricane Katrina. Three chapters focus on alternative forms of 'popular social work' provided by non-professional workers in extreme conditions, which is often more flexible, non-conditional, and non-stigmatizing than 'official' social work. This brings up the question of whether the definition of social work should be restricted only to those activities carried out by qualified professionals. Lavalette and Ioakimidis both teach social work at Liverpool Hope University and are both affiliated with the Social Work Action Network. The book is distributed in the US by ISBS. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 173-185) and index.

ISBN:

1847427189

9781847427182

OCLC:

668945127