SOCW-2363: Social Welfare Policy

The Handbook of Social Policy is a comprehensive examination of the development, implementation and impact of social policy. The international team of contributors documents the substantial body of knowledge about government social policies and the forces which drive it. The book defines social policy, examines the history of social policy, discusses social services, explores the political economy of social policy, views American social policy in an international context, and speculates on the future of social policy.

This dynamic text on human behavior takes a unique international perspective to introduce students to the concepts of large social systems and development. Social workers now practice in an increasingly global context for reasons ranging from migration to international adoptions to developments in technology. Understanding these global connections is essential to social workers today. Human Behavior in a Just World emphasizes the "common human condition" between people, and encourages students to see the powerful connections between environmental conditions and behavior. The authors address key elements of human behavior through a global lens, and discuss powerful global policy instruments and resources, such as the United Nations. Engaging North American and global case studies illustrate the theories in practice.

Recognizing the growing importance of awareness of international social issues for social workers, this thoroughly revised edition provides an updated introduction to a variety of these issues in the Global South, including AIDS, forced labor and war and conflict. A new issue in this editionis examining how the changing physical environment impacts social work practice around the world. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as other UN human rights documents, is used as a framework to examine examples of social injustice and human rights violations. The issues are examinedin their cultural contexts to help the reader understand how they developed and why they persist. Each chapter for a particular issue ends in a "Culture Box" which offers an in-depth look at the issue in a particular country, enabling the reader to gain a deeper understanding of how culture impacts the development of social issues. Suggestions for effecting change, both in one's personal orprofessional life are listed for each chapter and an Appendix offers a variety of resources for engaging in international social work.

As social work is fundamentally being altered by the 'Internationalization' of social problems, this book examines the implications for students and practitioners. Arguing that social professionals working locally need an understanding of global mechanisms and cross-cultural issues, it includes both local level and international examples.

International Social Work: Professional Action in an Independent World provides a comprehensive introduction to international social work. Two main themes, global interdependence and professional action, provide the context for examination of social work history, values, policy, practice, andeducation in global perspective. The author's four-part definition of international social work emphasizes competence for professional action in international aspects of domestic practice and policy, professional exchange, international development practice, and policy formulation and advocacy atthe global level. Each of these roles is examined in depth. The economic, cultural, environmental, and social welfare implications of global interdependence are addressed through discussion of structural adjustment and the debt crisis, resource utilization, migration, HIV/AIDS, poverty, and rights of women and children. A chapter on value and ethicaldilemmas considers how context influences the ways in which social issues are approached. Case examples, drawn from a wide variety of countries, are used throughout the book to illustrate the concepts. Country examples are drawn from Asia, Africa, Europe, South America, and the Caribbean. The book conludes with exploration of universal concepts for social work around the world: social development, human rights, multiculturalism, social exclusion, sustainability, and security.

Regarded as among the world's leaders in formulating social work policy and practice, US social workers have much to learn from colleagues in other nations. The third in an NASW Press series on international social work, this book examines how domestic policies and practice can be enhanced by documenting, analysing and judiciously adapting innovative approaches emanating from other countries.