Global Mindedness in International Social Work Practice

International' social work is too often used as a bolt on subject which considers 'others' outside the 'national' framework. Instead this book encourages readers to embrace the concept of 'globally minded social work practice’. This means paying closer attention to globalisation and broader issues of social justice, mirroring the kind of changing professional context social workers practice in today.Drawing on a Local-Global-Local framework, the authors promote critical reflection and dialogue across diverse contexts of practice. They outline why global mindedness is a priority for the future of social work practice before considering how it is defined and applied in practice. Examples are drawn from a wide range of contexts including working with children, young people, adults and communities across different countries.

Globalisation confronts social workers daily in manifold ways. This stimulating book offers ‘global mindedness’ as transformative practice through contrasting examples that question excluding boundaries and address diversity constructively. Here human rights and anti-oppression practice find concrete application to give a global perspective on complex local issues., Anand and Das offer a new departure in thinking and operationalizing ‘the international’ in social work. This book resists westocentric thinking and opens up new trajectories for reworking the relationship between the global and local at the level of everyday practice. But it is the case studies that win the day. A myriad of fascinating worked examples from across the globe illuminate the central concepts and demonstrate the ‘how’ of critically linking global responsibilities and local commitments.

JANET ANAND is a Lecturer in Social Work, Queen's University Belfast, UK.CHAITALI DAS is a Lecturer in Social Work, Queen's University Belfast, UK.