The Professionalization of Poverty: Social Work and the Poor in the Twentieth Century (Modern Applications of Social Work)

The essays in this book discuss the evolution of the profession of social work in the twentieth century. Its specific focus is the relationship of the professional social worker to the poor. Attempting to avoid the usual retelling of the standard narrative of the social work profession, The Professionalization of Poverty provides a perspective that goes beyond the typical boundaries of liberal/conservative paradigms and suggests that social work incorporate intellectual and methodological elements compatible with both.

Gary R. Lowe is professor and dean, School of Social Work and Criminal Justice Studies, East Carolina University.