Borrmann, Stefan & Michael Klassen & Christian Spatscheck (eds.) (2007): International Social Work Social Problems, Cultural Issues and Social Work Education Barbara Budrich Publishers, Opladen, Farmington Hills. ISBN: 978386649-087-1 Year of publication: 4/2007 189 Pages Language: English € 16,90 / $19.90 / £14.94

The book focuses on three key issues of international social work:
– on international dimensions of social problems and how social work practice can deal with these challenges,
– on cultural issues social workers have to think of when practicing, teaching and developing social work on an international level and finally
– on aspects of international approaches in social work education.

Table of contents and authors

The authors are practicing and teaching social work in several countries and their personal and educational background allowed them to gain a profound experience on international social work. This makes the authors not only writing about international perspectives but also from an international perspective.

In times of globalization and in an evolving world society, many of the problems social work deals with are no longer showing just regional and national causes and aspects, but international ones, as well. In the first part of the book some of these aspects of social problems are discussed. Aside from this analysis of social problems, approaches to deal with these problems through interventions on a national and international level are presented.

Even at a national level, social workers and scholars doing research in this field are coming into contact with different cultures that it is very important to respect. Culture in this meaning is not limited to ethnic aspects but also includes gender, religion, class, or age differences. From an international perspective this raises questions, i.e., of whether there is a common value basis for social work, or whether there is an inherent risk of colonizing ways of life different from the “norm”. The second part of the book highlights some of these aspects.

In the third part of the book, aspects of teaching social work in international settings is addressed. This includes not only issues of scholars teaching abroad, but also aspects of the cooperation between universities from different countries and issues raised through this cooperation.

From the contents:
- International Dimensions of Social Problems and Social Work Approaches
- Cultural Issues in International Social Work
- International Perspectives in Social Work Education

The editors:
- Dr. Stefan Borrmann, Deutsches Jugendinstitut e.V., German Youth Institute, Munich, Germany; SICSW
- Prof. (FH) Dr. Michael Klassen, Department of Social Work, Management Center Innsbruck, Austria; SICSW
- Dr. Christian Spatscheck, University of Applied Sciences, Düsseldorf, Germany; SICSW