ABSTRACT
Examine group work's roots and fundamental beliefs to get a glimpse of the future
For more than 80 years, social group work has survived difficult times—a testament to the persistence of its practitioners as well as the strength of its methods. Growth and Development Through Group Work chronicles the evolution of this groundbreaking practice through a collection of peer-reviewed papers presented at the 23rd Annual International Symposium on Social Work with Groups. The book examines practice, policy, and education issues in specific settings and populations from both theoretical and historical perspectives.
Presented in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, DC, the papers that comprise Growth and Development Through Group Work reflect a heightened awareness of the importance of social action group work—now, and in the future. The book represents the best of social work’s tradition of social reform and concern for oppressed people, never straying far from the concept of the group, with its multiple helping relationships, as the primary source of change. A comprehensive overview of the field in international, intercultural, and cross-gender contexts, Growth and Development Through Group Work is equally effective for coursework or independent reading.
Topics addressed in Growth and Development Through Group Work include:
- contributions of the late Ruby B. Pernell to the development of social group work
- research in support of group work education and practice
- group work in Germany-its development from American roots and its current advances
- social justice as a major objective of group work practice
- teaching group work
- mutual aid in support groups for particularly sensitive health problems
- psychoeducational group work
- contributions from Hull House as guides for the future of social group work
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part I|63 pages
Historical Perspectives
chapter Chapter 4|21 pages
Social Group Work in Germany: An American Import and Its Historical Development
part II|30 pages
Contemporary Applied Group Work
chapter Chapter 6|12 pages
Putting Social Justice on the Agenda: Addressing Habitual and Social Barriers
part III|50 pages
Evolving Group Work Educational Approaches
chapter Chapter 7|20 pages
Using Groups to Teach the Connection Between Private Troubles and Public Issues
chapter Chapter 9|7 pages
Group Simulation Projects: Teaching Group Work Skills in a Distance-Learning Classroom
part IV|37 pages
Group Workers Facing New and Unpredictable Situations