TUM Library

International Perspectives on Social Work and Political Conflict provides an important basis for readers to recognise and understand the unique and specialist role that social workers have played and continue to play in international contexts of political conflict. Social workers make an important contribution in these difficult and sometimes dangerous situations across all continents. This book highlights the importance of social work in these very challenging contexts. The first part of this book includes four chapters that summarise the existing knowledge base. The second part focuses on a case study of Northern Ireland where, for the first time, a detailed examination of the social work role was completed which involved researching the views of social work practitioners, managers and educators. Part three then draws together international experts in the field who have written chapters on those regions where social workers have been dealing with long standing periods of political conflict. At a time when violent conflagrations are currently a feature of many countries and regions across the continents of the world, this book offers a critical view of the social work role in these contexts and should thus be considered essential reading for all social work academics, students and professionals working in conflict-affected societies.

Cover; Half Title; Series Page; Title Page; Copyright Page; Table of Contents; List of tables; Acknowledgements; List of contributors; Foreword; Introduction; The structure of the book; References; 1. International perspectives on social work and political conflict; Introduction; Challenges in reviewing the literature; Emergent themes; Theorising the social work role; Challenging existing paradigms; The impact upon practitioners; Approaches to social work education; Conclusion; References; 2. Social work practice and political conflict; Introduction; Social work and political conflict

Social work education and political conflictPolitical conflict in Northern Ireland; Social work education in the Northern Ireland context; Co-producing innovative pedagogy; Reflections; Conclusion; References; 3. Normalising the abnormal: Two accounts of social work practice during the conflict in Northern Ireland; Introduction; Growing up and practising in Northern Ireland; Getting off the fence: the journey of our organisations; Conclusion: 'stories to tell' -- ordinary social work in extraordinary times; References; 4. The Northern Irish study: Voices of Social Work through the Troubles

IntroductionNorthern Ireland; Social work and political conflict; The initial period; A middle period; Social work responses today; The Northern Irish study: Voices of Social Work through the Troubles; Research processes; Ethical considerations; Data collection and analysis; Findings; Discussion; Conclusion; References; 5. Shared trauma and social work practice in communal disasters; Introduction; Review of the literature; Shared trauma: a new construct for challenging times; Therapeutic intimacy post-9/11: my narrative

Shared trauma in an agency context: implications for practice, supervision and educationRecommendations for the treatment of shared trauma; Conclusion; References; 6. Critical reflection on the social work experiences in Northern Ireland: Perspectives from Bosnia and Herzegovina; Introduction; The context of the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Exploring social work and political conflict across borders; Experiences of social work in Northern Ireland and BiH: notes for future dialogue at the borders; Micro-level issues; Instead of a conclusion; References

7. Social work and the Cyprus problem: The challenges of reconciliation in de facto divided and crisis-ridden societiesIntroduction; Cyprus; Social work, colonialism and conflict in Cyprus: a paradoxical relationship; The historical evolution of social work in Cyprus; Committee on Missing Persons (CMP): the hidden force of social work beneath the success?; Equality and social questions in the Cyprus settlement: social workers, welfare and action; Thinking ahead: future research agenda; Conclusion; References; 8. The Israeli Context; Introduction; Context; Domestic Realities

OCLC-licensed vendor bibliographic record.