Enhancing and sustaining social inclusion through social work research.

The Amsterdam Committee is pleased to announce that the theme of the 2022 European Conference for Social Work Research will be enhancing and sustaining social inclusion through social work research. Since 2020, the Covid pandemic has had a substantial impact on exposing even further the entrenched inequalities in societies across Europe and the wider world, leading to questions such as how can societies be socially inclusive in the context of growing inequality? How can societies be socially inclusive with growing isolation between people? How does accelerated digitalisation affect the development of social inclusion? How do excluded groups have inclusive access to their entitlements to rights? How can social work research contribute to greater social inclusion?

In these times, social inclusion is more important than ever and, as the International Federation of Social Workers has argued, without social workers, a country cannot progress in terms of social inclusion. Social work research can help address societal challenges - such as poverty, exclusion and migration - and to promote opportunities – such as well-being, health, livelihood, diversity, human rights and inclusion. It encompasses a wide range of approaches in a wide range of contexts, aiming to enhance and sustain social inclusion through its values, methods and outcomes. The definitions of social inclusion used in the conference may be highly contextualized and we look forward to a stimulating debate on the matter.

We welcome conceptual, empirical, methodological and literature-based submissions that address the main theme, of enhancing and sustaining social inclusion. We encourage submission of papers which use arts-based methods and approaches that strengthen social inclusion. 
 

Series themes

1. Challenges and opportunities for social work research, practice, policy or education in contemporary contexts
2. Social work research, policy, practice or education across national, social, cultural, disciplinary and professional boundaries
3. Exploring the impact and effectiveness of social work practice
4. Social work history and identity as a profession and discipline
5. Theorizing social work and/or social work research
6. Connecting social work research and practice, including the co-creation of knowledge
7. Methodological development, innovation and capacity building in social work research