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Publishing schedule

6/2020 – Evaluation in Social Work 1/2021 – ERIS Journal - Winter 2021 - Forced Migration and Minority Groups 2/2021 – 3/2021 – 4/2021 – ERIS Journal - Summer 2021 - Histories of social work

… all planned issues

Issues

Issues » 2007/1 - Role of a Social Worker »

Social work theories and methods in Europe – the professional profile of social workers

Walter Lorenz

Abstract:
The article is devoted to broad description of the development of social work methods. “Social work” and “social pedagogy” traditions are distinguished. Special attention is paid to the responses of social work theories and methods on the welfare state crisis and following changes of social and political context of social work practice. The author reflects on the role of “evidence based approaches”, “re-constructive social work”, “critical social work”, “counseling” and “case management” in dealing with pro-liberal social policies and fragmentation of social work methods.