
Social Work Professional Organizations
A Comparative International Perspective
Policy Press
1st Edition
Will be published approx. on 13. November 2025
Book
Hardback
310 pages
978-1-4473-7366-7 (ISBN)
Description
Despite their long history and growing influence, social work professional organisations (SWPOs) remain underexplored in social work research. Created and fully or partly governed by professionals for professionals, SWPOs comprise millions of practitioners worldwide - some groups having existed for around 100 years - to develop activities that are increasingly relevant for practitioners, users, schools of social work and policy makers.
This edited volume provides the first comprehensive, comparative analysis of SWPOs in 15 countries, bridging Global North and South perspectives. Using an interdisciplinary framework, it offers an evidence-based typology of SWPOs, illustrating their evolving role as collective actors in social work.
Essential reading for educators, researchers and students in social work, this book speaks directly to the global community of SWPOs.
This edited volume provides the first comprehensive, comparative analysis of SWPOs in 15 countries, bridging Global North and South perspectives. Using an interdisciplinary framework, it offers an evidence-based typology of SWPOs, illustrating their evolving role as collective actors in social work.
Essential reading for educators, researchers and students in social work, this book speaks directly to the global community of SWPOs.
More details
Series
Edition
First Edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Bristol
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bristol University Press
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
13 s/w Tabellen, 2 s/w Abbildungen
13 Tables, black and white; 2 Illustrations, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 161 mm
Width: 242 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
606 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4473-7366-7 (9781447373667)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Social Work Professional Organizations
A Comparative International Perspective
E-Book
11/2025
1st Edition
Policy Press
€43.99
Available for download
Persons
Riccardo Guidi is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Florence.
Contributions
Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences, Ostschweizer Fachhochschule (OST)
University of Brasilia
Monash University
Charles Sturt University
Monash University
Tata Institute of Social Sciences
The Open University
Commonwealth Organisation for Social Work
Content
Introduction - Riccardo Guidi
1. Social Work Professional Organizations: why they are relevant and how to study them - Riccardo Guidi
2. Social Work Professional Organizations at the international level: recent history, current characteristics, future challenges - Annamaria Campanini
3. Social Work Professional Organizations in Italy and Spain: characteristics, roles, opportunities, and challenges within the professional order and college systems - Martina Francesconi, Riccardo Guidi, Iria Noa de la Fuente-Roldan
4. A comparative perspective on Social Work Professional Organizations in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland - Dieter Kulke, Iris Kohlfuerst, Tobias Kindler
5. Social Work Professional Organizations in Finland and Sweden: bear-hugged by the welfare state? - Helena Blomberg, Christian Kroll, Marcus Weckstroem
6. Social Work Professional Organizations in the United Kingdom: the resilience of the British Association of Social Workers in turbulent times - David N. Jones, Joe Hanley, Bridget Robb
7. Social Work Professional Organizations in the United States: divided responsibilities and pluralistic inclusion - Richard Hoefer
8. How does the Australian Association of Social Workers influence the context of social work practice and policy advocacy in Australia? - Philip Mendes, Manohar Pawar, Meghan Tangney
9. Social Work Professional Organizations in Japan: a collaborative model of practitioner and school organizations working together - Viktor Virag, Junko Wake, Machiko Ohara
10. Social Work Professional Organizations in Israel: when a trade union becomes a professional association - John Gal
11. Social Work Professional Organizations in India: a critical analysis - L.S. Ghandi Doss, B. Devi Prasad
12. Social work in Brazil: origins, development, and collective organization forms of the professional category - Reginaldo Ghiraldelli
13. Unity in action: strengthening social welfare through professional organization in Botswana - Kgomotso Jongman
14. Characteristics and challenges of Social Work Professional Organizations: an initial comparative analysis - Riccardo Guidi
1. Social Work Professional Organizations: why they are relevant and how to study them - Riccardo Guidi
2. Social Work Professional Organizations at the international level: recent history, current characteristics, future challenges - Annamaria Campanini
3. Social Work Professional Organizations in Italy and Spain: characteristics, roles, opportunities, and challenges within the professional order and college systems - Martina Francesconi, Riccardo Guidi, Iria Noa de la Fuente-Roldan
4. A comparative perspective on Social Work Professional Organizations in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland - Dieter Kulke, Iris Kohlfuerst, Tobias Kindler
5. Social Work Professional Organizations in Finland and Sweden: bear-hugged by the welfare state? - Helena Blomberg, Christian Kroll, Marcus Weckstroem
6. Social Work Professional Organizations in the United Kingdom: the resilience of the British Association of Social Workers in turbulent times - David N. Jones, Joe Hanley, Bridget Robb
7. Social Work Professional Organizations in the United States: divided responsibilities and pluralistic inclusion - Richard Hoefer
8. How does the Australian Association of Social Workers influence the context of social work practice and policy advocacy in Australia? - Philip Mendes, Manohar Pawar, Meghan Tangney
9. Social Work Professional Organizations in Japan: a collaborative model of practitioner and school organizations working together - Viktor Virag, Junko Wake, Machiko Ohara
10. Social Work Professional Organizations in Israel: when a trade union becomes a professional association - John Gal
11. Social Work Professional Organizations in India: a critical analysis - L.S. Ghandi Doss, B. Devi Prasad
12. Social work in Brazil: origins, development, and collective organization forms of the professional category - Reginaldo Ghiraldelli
13. Unity in action: strengthening social welfare through professional organization in Botswana - Kgomotso Jongman
14. Characteristics and challenges of Social Work Professional Organizations: an initial comparative analysis - Riccardo Guidi