Towards Glocal Social Work in the Era of Compressed Modernity ― Towards an Era of Distorted Modernity

This book addresses the change of social work in the frame of modernisation. Through Mary Richmond’s classical idea of social work, the book seeks to set current societal trends affecting social work into the context of a long historical line, opening spaces for the new debates within the social work discipline as well as proposing and taking some new directions in the current era of compressed modernity. From the viewpoint of social work, there still is an individual in a situation, however, the situation is profoundly changed during the past hundred years.

Divided into 7 chapters, topics covered include first the rethinking of Richmond’s original idea, revisiting the modernisation theories and social transformations as well as discussion on the social work theories and mandates according to the chosen classics. Secondly, the book continues with sketching the pillars of compressed modernity and rethinking of the global and local relations. During the era of glocalisation, polycentrism, digitalisation, and hybridisation the previous conceptualisations of social theory have to be taken under reconsideration. Finally, a proposal for glocal social work vision is represented by setting questions which should be taken under the scrutinity.

Academics, researchers, practising social workers and students of social work as well as of social policy, administration, social law and other social sciences will find this book to be an essential text for understanding the current societal changes, trends and tendencies. The book provides a lot of information for policymakers and citizens interested on the background knowledge for the contemporary societal situation.

Timo Harrikari is Professor of Social Work, University of Tampere, Finland. He is the current President of Finnish National University Network for Social Work (Sosnet) and a member in several national boards related to social work discipline, teaching and practice.

Pirkko-Liisa Rauhala is Adjunct Professor and University lecturer in Social Work, University of Helsinki, Finland. She started her academic career during the 1970s after completed her studies of social policy, social work and public health. Rauhala’s research interests include the development and change of social care services and social work, history and current trends of social policy and social work development in the European countries, and social theory of modernisation. She have been member of several international research groups, and co-author of many books based on comparative empirical analyses.