Human Behavior and the Social Environment: Shifting Paradigms in Essential Knowledge for Social Work Practice (4th Edition)

Human Behavior and the Social Environment: Shifting Paradigms in Essential Knowledge for Social Work Practice provides readers with a variety of traditional and alternative perspectives on human services issues, including diversity, feminism, client empowerment, individual development, families, groups, organizations, and communities. The author includes new and updated coverage of spirituality, global issues, diversity/cultural competency, aging theory, disabilities, and the impact of technology and the Internet on human services, and reflects the spirit and intent of the new CSWE Educational Policies and Standards (EPAS).

Human Behavior and the Social Environment: Shifting Paradigms in Essential Knowledge for Social Work Practice, Fourth Edition
Joe M. Schriver, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

This comprehensive text explores, compares, and contrasts both traditional and alternative paradigms in examining human behavior and the social environment. The text focuses at each system level on the need for multiple perspectives that respect the vast diversity of persons and environments with whom social workers work. It examines new paradigms that include diversity, feminism, client empowerment, individual development, families, groups, organizations, and communities.

Highlights of the Fourth Edition:

• Includes a new chapter focusing on traditional and alternative perspectives on social work knowledge for global practice, including theories of the state and international development theory.
• Offers new content on spirituality as a major influence on HBSE across system levels and on the impact of the environment and environmental hazards on human behavior.
• New pedagogical tools include discussion questions designed to more fully integrate illustrative readings with chapter content, and streamlined topic listings at the beginning of each chapter.
• Includes major revisions to reflect the spirit and intent of the new CSWE Educational Policies and Standards (EPAS).