How is social work shaped by global issues and international problems and how should it address them? This book employs a radical perspective to examine international social work.

Globalisation had opened up many issues for social work, including how to address global inequalities, the impact of global economic problems and trends towards neoliberalism. By examining the origins of modern social work, problematising its definition and addressing the care/control dichotomy the book reveals what we can learn from different approaches and projects across the globe.

Case studies from the UK, the US, Canada, Spain, Latin America, Australia, Hungary and Greece bring the text to life and allow both students and practitioners to apply theory to practice.

"An analysis of the challenges of critical and radical social work in the face of the crisis of capital and its impacts. Current and essential reading." Elaine Rossetti Behring, Grupo de Estudos e Pesquisas do Orçamento Público e da Seguridade Social
"An original and topical addition to the literature that makes a strong case for critical analysis of economic, political and environmental conditions to inform development of radical practices." Karen Lyons, London Metropolitan University
"A radical route map for sustainable international social work for the 21st century, built on a crucial critique of global politics: essential reading." Peter Beresford, Professor of Citizen Participation, University of Essex
"This thoroughly researched and provocative book calls for a new politics of social work. It demands that social workers everywhere become proactive in confronting current global economic, environmental and social crises." Elizabeth Whitmore, Carleton University, Canada

Iain Ferguson is Honorary Professor of Social Work and Social Policy at the University of the West of Scotland and co-editor of Critical and Radical Social Work: an International Journal.

Vasilios Ioakimidis is Professor of Social Work and Director of the Centre for Social Work at the University of Essex.

Michael Lavalette has published widely on radical social work and contemporary social movements. He is co-editor of Critical and Radical Social Work journal.