ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book illuminates the interconnections between contemporary feminism and modern social work across diverse everyday practice worlds. It considers some of the tensions borne of practising feminist social work in neo-liberal socio-political contexts that simultaneously 'ignore' gender and exploit and exacerbate relative female disadvantage. It then argues that it is timely to mainstream feminist approaches in social work because they have the potential to use critical and interpretive methodologies at the interstices between research and practice, thereby creating the potential for powerful social change. The book highlights in an illustrative way the centrality of feminism to contemporary social work; to show how gender-neutral perspectives and practices obscure gender and how feminism can challenge these practices; and, to showcase the specific ways feminist social work practice can be transformative into the future through its emphasis on relationships and power.
