ABSTRACT
Superdiversity is challenging advanced welfare states, as well as social work and social work research in superdiverse contexts. The concept of superdiversity can offer a new way for social work research to understand the dynamics in advanced welfare states, and especially in cities across Europe. This chapter focuses on the concept of superdiversity theoretically. It analyses the descriptive, methodological and practical potential of superdiversity. The chapter explores what these potentialities might imply for social work research to better understand and cope with actual transitions and processes of diversification. Most advanced welfare states in the twenty-first century are in a transition towards superdiversity, especially – but not exclusively – the larger cities in these welfare states. The transition towards superdiversity requires a multidisciplinary and multidimensional approach. Increasingly, research on health, education, care and social work in superdiverse contexts is needed to further understand the impact of the ongoing processes of differentiation in advanced welfare states.
