Description:
Social work is often presented as a benevolent and politically neutral profession, avoiding discussion about its sometimes troubling political histories.
This book rethinks social work's legacy and history of both political resistance and complicity with oppressive and punitive practices. Using a comparative approach with international case studies, the book uncovers the role of social workers in politically tense episodes of recent history, including the anti-racist struggle in the US and the impact of colonialism in Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
As the de-colonisation of curricula and the Black Lives Matter movement gain momentum, this fascinating book skilfully navigates social work's collective political past while considering its future.
Brief description: Michael Lavalette is a Professor in the Department of Social Work, Care and Justice at Liverpool Hope Univeristy. He has published widely on radical social work and contemporary social movements. He is co-editor of Critical and Radical Social Work journal.
Review Quotes: "This is an important book examining social work's collective past in order to ensure a future where human rights and social justice are upheld in marginalized communities." Professional Social Work