Social Work and the Changing Context: Engagement in Policymaking

Abstract

Social work’s prime responsibility is to engage with people and structures to address life challenges and enhance well-being in order to further social change, social development, social cohesion, empowerment (and liberation) of people. Engaging with people and structure requires an in-depth understanding of the local environment and the policy frameworks. Local environment such as resources, ecological community, and network of relationships between people is not static and social, economic, cultural and policy frameworks too change rapidly. The environment and frameworks within which social work professionals work and conduct research have changed and evolved over time. The socio-political landscape too has changed considerably over the last decade across the globe. The processes of globalisation, privatisation, new managerialism and technocratisation have further impacted different countries in different ways (Gibbs, 2001). These socio-economic and political developments have brought large scale changes in the community structures, institutional power arrangements and welfare systems, which have further led to new forms of injustice, oppression and discrimination. The gaps in the social structure are widening and new vulnerabilities have been created which pose serious threats to the well-being of people. As a result, subaltern voices on equality, social justice, human rights, development, security, education, health and mental health, employment, immigration and empowerment have emerged against the socio-political structures and systems. The varied ways in which these voices have played out differs from one environment to another.

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