Social Work Dialogues: Transforming the Canon in Inquiry, Practice, and Education

This comprehensive collection of essays emerged from the Transforming Social Work Practice, Education, and Inquiry (TSW) gatherings held annually since 2000 in Burlington, Vermont, by the Global Partnership for Transformative Social Work. The gatherings provide a venue for academics, students, and practitioners to reflect on and discuss implications of the postmodern moment for social work. These essays, written by prominent social work scholars and educators, represent ideas and insights inspired by participation in these gatherings. Beginning with a discussion of transformative social work and how it is approached at the Vermont gatherings, the authors tackle a variety of topics using social constructionist and other perspectives associated with postmodern thought. Unlike typical collections, there is no attempt to impose uniformity of writing. Rather, the essays exhibit a variety of writing styles and genres, sometimes erudite, sometimes personal, but always stimulating. For anyone interested in the future direction of social work, these essays will illuminate new pathways of thinking.

Council on Social Work Education

We are a nonprofit national association representing individual members and graduate and undergraduate programs of professional social work education. Founded in 1952, this partnership of educational and professional institutions, social welfare agencies, and private citizens is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the sole accrediting agency for social work education in this country.

CSWE Press is a niche publisher that addresses the needs of social work educators. Some of our areas of publishing specialty are

-The philosophy, theory, and practice of teaching
-The process and evaluation of learning
-The organization and structure of social work education
-Diversity in all forms in social work practice and education
-Social work in multiple contexts

Stanley L Witkin is a professor in the Department of Social Work at the University of Vermont in Burlington, VT. His primary interests are the applications of social constructionist thought to social work and creating spaces of dialogue and connection to further the cause of developing a more just and humane world. Dennis Saleebey is professor emeritus of social welfare at the School of Social Welfare, University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS. One of his primary interests has been the development of a more strengths-based approach to social work practice.