The Routledge Handbook of Postcolonial Social Work reflects on and dissects the challenging issues confronting social work practice and education globally in the post-colonial era. By analysing how countries in the so-called developing and developed world have navigated some of the inherited systems from the colonial era, it shows how they have used them to provide relevant social work methods which are also responsive to the needs of a postcolonial setting.

This is an analytical and reflexive handbook that brings together different scholars from various parts of the world - both North and South - so as to distill ideas from scholars relating to ways that can advance social work of the South and critique social work of the North in so far as it is used as a template for social work approaches in postcolonial settings. It determines whether and how approaches, knowledge-bases, and methods of social work have been indigenised and localised in the Global South in the postcolonial era.

This handbook provides the reader with multiple new theoretical approaches and empirical experiences and creates a space of action for the most marginalised communities worldwide. It will be of interest to researchers and practitioners, as well as those in social work education.

About the Author

Tanja Kleibl is Professor of Social Work, Migration and Diversity at the University of Applied Sciences Wurzburg-Schweinfurt (FHWS). Her research interest is in the area of political sociology, in particular postcolonial civil society, social movements, mobility, and international development. She has worked for various local and international NGOs and government agencies in Africa and beyond. She brings together 15 years of extensive practice and research experience in development cooperation and migration.

Ronald Lutz, Sociologist and Anthropologist, is Professor at the Faculty of Applied Social Sciences at the Erfurt University of Applied Sciences since 1993. His fields of interest are in poverty, social politics, social development, and international relations.

Ndangwa Noyoo is an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Social Development at the University of Cape Town. His research interests are in social policy, comparative social policy in Africa, social development, public policy, and Indigenous knowledge systems. He has published widely in the areas of social policy, social development, and related fields, especially, in the context of Africa and Southern Africa.

Benjamin Bunk holds a PhD in educational science (Jena). After extensive field research in Brazil (PUCRS), conducted as Junior Fellow at the Max Weber Centre for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies (Erfurt), he recently shifted to a postdoctoral position in pedagogical youth studies (University of Giessen). Besides social movements and social theory, he is dedicated to the philosophy of education and concepts of global citizenship education.

Annika Dittmann holds a Bachelor's degree in Pedagogy from the University of Bamberg and a Master's degree in International Social Work from the University of Applied Sciences Erfurt. Currently she is working with female underage refugees.

Boitumelo Seepamore is a lecturer in the discipline of social work at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She teaches community work and draws her experience from the community work projects she has undertaken in her work with the communities of Soweto in Johannesburg, and KwaZulu-Natal.

Reviews

'This collection on post-colonial social work from a Southern perspective is an original work on a most important topic. It is a volume that contributes greatly to global transformation in an era when critical thinking is discouraged. It is a must read for social work professionals and students as well as the wider audience engaged with critical development theory and practice. Highly recommended.' - Ronaldo Muck, Professor of Political Sociology, Dublin City University

'This book is timely and a precious gift to all who cherish dignified social and human development. It contains a powerful integrative elucidation of northern and southern philosophies ideas that creates a synthesis supportive of the dialogue of social development in the world. This book should be celebrated by all; students, practitioners, academicians, policy makers and especially the oppressed of the world as it carries a message of hope tinged with the realism that supports the creation of a brave new world for all.' - Lengwe-Katembula J Mwansa (PhD), Professor, University of Botswana, Department of Social work, Gaborone, Botswana

Book Information
ISBN 9780367783785
Author Tanja Kleibl
Format Paperback
Page Count 376
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 635g