Social Work and Social Development; perspectives from India and the United States

The classic paradigm think globally and act locally is discovering a new relevance in the context of social development, as it provides a useful perspective on addressing the needs of nations as complex and diverse as India. In order to understand a country s motivation for change and social action, it is first necessary to understand the history of the people and their way of life. Social Work and Social Development: Perspectives from India and the United States compares India and the United States approaches to social work and social development. The book highlights the similarities between the two countries, especially the cultural pluralism, democratic political structures, and social welfare policy commitments that make possible an inclusionary exchange of knowledge in the fields of social work and social development.


The contributors to this book include both US and Indian experts in sociology, theology, women s studies, and social work. They examine both micro and macro issues ranging from religious pluralism, population migration, and criminal justice to child welfare, health care, and mental health policies. This unique approach integrates these multiple perspectives and provides a faceted picture of social structures and change in both countries.


The goals of this book are to move finally beyond the ethnocentric mantra of applying developed solutions to developing problems and redefine the parameters for understanding people and problems in international social work. It is a unique and valuable resource for course work in social work, social development, international studies, and Asian studies. The framework presented in this book can be used as a model for further comparisons, so that we truly can begin thinking globally while acting locally not just in India, but in the United States and the rest of the world.


Features: A unique framework for international comparisons that can be applied beyond the United States and India; Contributions from US and Indian experts in social work, sociology, theology, philosophy, and women s studies; Concept overviews preceding each part and discussion questions following each chapter.

Shweta Singh (MSW, The Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India; PhD, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) is associate professor of social work at Loyola University Chicago and an associate faculty member of the women and gender studies department. Her current research projects focus on issues of migration, work, education, and mental health in developing countries and issues of identity in women and girls. Her international work includes assignments with UNICEF, OXFAM, and CII.