David Cox and Manohar Pawar. International Social Work: Issues, Strategies, and Programmes.

Malik, Afia

David Cox and Manohar Pawar. International Social Work: Issues, Strategies, and Programmes. New Delhi: Vistaar Publications. 2006. 421 pages. Paperback. Indian Rs 595.00.

Social work originates from humanitarian, religious, and democratic ideals and philosophies. It has been applied to meet the basic human needs and to develop human potential. International social work is defined as international professional practice and the capacity for international action by the social work profession and its members. This book is an introduction to the interesting and challenging area of international social work. The authors have shared their understanding of international social work in the form of this book along with other social workers and development workers.

The book organised in fourteen chapters introduces the concepts of social work and international social work in the first chapter. In the second chapter authors described the conceptual model of international social work via establishing the importance of using an integrated-perspective approach. The third chapter presents the global context of international social work. That context is complex, consisting of range of global problems with numerous agencies established to respond to these problems; and various sets of conventions and policies, all of which reflect on historical realities and the changing ideologies that surround these. In the fourth chapter some key programmes and strategies that tend to characterise intervention in all fields are discussed.

From Chapter Five to Chapter Twelve, four significant fields are discussed. These are development, poverty, conflict and post-conflict reconstruction, and displacement and forced migration. In the thirteenth chapter, the authors highlight the international response to specific needy populations. Finally, in the fourteenth chapter, they put forward some challenges being faced by the international social work in the twenty-first century and provide some suggestions to deal with them.

This well-written book will undoubtedly help those interested in working in the domain of international social work and social development.

By Afia Malik, Research Economist, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, Islamabad.