Social Dialogue 31 · Volume 02

In this volume

Community knowledge, collective care and the changing contexts of social work.

26 contributions
  1. 01
    Editorial

    Editorial

    Carolyn Noble introduces the global challenges and international contributions that bring these two volumes together.

    • Carolyn NobleAustralia
  2. 02
    President’s message

    IASSW Message

    IASSW President Antoinette Lombard reflects on global collaboration, shared knowledge and collective action in social work.

    • Antoinette Lombard
  3. 03
    Australia · Community

    Social Work with Communities Preparing for Climate Disasters

    Francis Lynch, Jessica Leslie and Antonia Hendrick explore community-led climate adaptation through the principles of being seen, safe and supported.

    • Francis LynchAustralia
    • Jessica LeslieAustralia
    • Dr Antonia HendrickAustralia
  4. 04
    Africa · Frontline practice

    Reflections on what makes the social work pulse beat so low in Africa

    Caution Mugwamba reflects on resources, professional recognition, migration and workload in African social work.

    • Caution MugwambaZimbabwe
  5. 05
    DR Congo · Workforce and resilience

    Navigating adversity: professional challenges and coping strategies of social workers in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo

    Research in eight institutions in Bukavu examines social workers’ professional challenges and coping strategies.

    • Mutama Kabesha NtinuDemocratic Republic of Congo
    • Mugisho Mwaka MichaelDemocratic Republic of Congo
    • Murhula Kapalata GloireDemocratic Republic of Congo
    • Kaganda Mulumeo-derhwa PhilippeDemocratic Republic of Congo
  6. 06
    Iran · Industrial social work

    Evolving Towards Human-Centered Industry: A Grounded Approach to Social Work in Iranian Industrial Settings

    Toktam Garivani reflects on communication, professional capacity and inclusion through experience in industrial social work.

    • Toktam GarivaniIran
  7. 07
    Australia · International education

    Professional Assimilation in Australian Social Work

    Hui-Yu Yao examines professional assimilation as a hidden curriculum for international social work students and graduates.

    • Hui-Yu YaoAustralia
  8. 08
    Australia · Leadership

    The Alignment Gap: What Australia Has Not Yet Built for Its Next Generation of Social Work Leaders

    Drawing on conversations across nine countries, Jody Bell argues for leadership development rooted in social work values.

    • Jody BellAustralia
  9. 09
    Bangladesh · Social work education

    Analyzing the Perspectives of SUST Students Behind Choosing Social Work as Discipline

    Md. Mofazzol Haque explores students’ reasons for choosing social work and their experiences of identity, fieldwork and career prospects.

    • Md. Mofazzol HaqueBangladesh
  10. 10
    Japan · Feminist social work

    Rethinking Social Work from a Feminist Perspective after Japan’s New Act on Support for Women Facing Difficult Problems

    Kanae Mori examines how feminist perspectives can reshape categories of support, assessment and the value placed on support labour in Japanese social work.

    • Kanae MoriJapan
  11. 11
    Latvia · Kinship care

    Why One Policy Does Not Fit All Kinship Care Families: Lessons from Latvia for Social Work Practice and Family Policy

    Research from Latvia explores why kinship care policies need to recognise the different circumstances of caregiving families.

    • Aiga Romāne-MeiereLatvia
  12. 12
    Hong Kong · Youth and inequality

    The Politics of Hope: Young People, Inequality and Social Citizenship in Hong Kong

    Sum Kung considers how material security, social citizenship and collective agency shape young people’s capacity to hope.

    • Sum KungUnited Kingdom
  13. 13
    United States · Citizenship and adoption

    Analysis of the SAVE Act’s Implications for Intercountry Adoptees and Immigrant Communities in the United States.

    A policy analysis considers the SAVE Act’s implications for intercountry adoptees and immigrant communities.

    • Seth TrowbridgeUnited States
    • Mohammad Didar Hossain, PhDUnited States
  14. 14
    Aotearoa New Zealand · Field education

    Social Work Education in Aotearoa New Zealand: Financial Hardship During Field Education Placement.

    Sue Vaughan examines the financial hardship social work students experience during field education placements.

    • Sue VaughanAotearoa New Zealand
  15. 15
    Latin America · Rights and critical education

    Defense of Rights, Critical Training, and Ethical-Political Project: Latin American Social Work Facing the Neoliberal Offensive and Social Precarity

    Carmita Álvarez Santana and Erick Bojorque-Pazmiño examine critical education, rights and social work’s ethical-political project.

    • Carmita Álvarez SantanaEcuador
    • Erick Bojorque-PazmiñoEcuador
  16. 16
    Germany · Internationalisation at home

    Teaching social work as a human rights profession: developing transnational competence through internationalization at home in rural social work education

    An account from rural Mittelsachsen explores how locally rooted students can develop transnational competence through their social work education.

    • Simon Moses SchleimerGermany
    • Nadine KuklauGermany
  17. 17
    Philippines · Adolescent wellbeing

    Adolescent Self-Harm in the Filipino Context: A Current Challenge for Philippine Social Work

    Alain Matteo Meneses reflects on adolescent self-harm through Filipino understandings of burden and relief and their implications for practice.

    • Alain Matteo F. MenesesPhilippines
  18. 18
    Global · Bereavement and practice

    A Loss Social Work Has Not Yet Named: Assistance Dog Partner Bereavement as a Current Practice Issue

    Dena DeSantis examines assistance dog partner bereavement and the need for social work education to recognise this often overlooked loss.

    • Dena DeSantis, DSW, LCSWUnited States
  19. 19
    Australia · Legal literacy

    Critical Legal Literacy in BSW Education: Navigating the Dual Mandate in Turbulent Times

    Mio Hung explores how critical legal literacy can prepare social work students to navigate statutory duties and ethical responsibilities.

    • Mio HungAustralia
  20. 20
    Czech Republic · Child protection

    Children Cannot Wait: Why We Need Screening Tools in High-Conflict Divorce

    Petra Vašinová examines how screening tools can support professional judgement and earlier recognition of risks to children in high-conflict divorce.

    • Mgr. Petra VašinováCzech Republic
  21. 21
    Japan · Child protection

    The Politics of Child Abuse and Risk Assessment: Rethinking the Form of Specialized Knowledge in Japanese Child and Family Social Work

    Jizhou Fang examines the politics of risk assessment and the imbalance of knowledge between child protection professionals and caregivers.

    • Jizhou FangJapan
  22. 22
    Sénégal · Climat et travail social

    Quand les changements climatiques sont au cœur du Travail social

    Abdoulaye Mamadou Mbow examine le rôle du travail social dans la prévention et la gestion des inondations à Dakar.

    • Abdoulaye Mamadou MbowSenegal
  23. 23
    South Africa · Human rights

    Xenophobic violence and human rights practice in South Africa

    Mutsa Murenje considers xenophobic violence through human rights, structural inequality and anti-oppressive social work practice.

    • Mutsa Murenje, PhDAustralia
  24. 24
    Asia · Digital life and wellbeing

    To cultivate the wellbeing of Social Workers in GenZ generation under digital turbulent age in Asia Context.

    Timothy Chen explores the wellbeing of Generation Z social workers amid digital change, technostress and evolving workplace expectations.

    • Dr. Timothy Chen, Ka-kitHong Kong SAR, China
  25. 25
    Southern Cone · Artificial intelligence

    Beyond Instrumental Training in Technology: Moving Toward an Algorithmic Liberatory Education in Social Work

    Leonel Del Prado proposes an algorithmic liberatory education grounded in critical understanding, ethical reflection and the Freirean tradition.

    • Leonel Del PradoUruguay
  26. 26
    América Latina y el Caribe · ALAEITS

    Documento de Manejo del Boletín Informativo “Habla ALAEITS”

    Presentación, propósitos y lineamientos de publicación del boletín informativo Habla ALAEITS.

    • Dirección Ejecutiva de ALAEITS, 2025–2028América Latina y el Caribe