Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book addresses what is it about social work which so closely aligns its nature and purpose with that of social exclusion. It examines some of the characteristics which create this alignment. The book focuses on the ‘material’ of social work. It moves towards the recognition of social work, not just as a practice form, but as an academic discipline in its own right, separate from, but existing alongside other social sciences, such as sociology, psychology and politics. The book sketches out the paradigm which needs to be adopted for social work to be a distinctive discipline (the practice paradigm).