Social work as a research discipline investigates the promotion of social welfare at individual, group or societal levels. This involves interventions to improve the social situation of individual clients, but also social policy issues about the organization of welfare systems, as well as social change at a more general level.
Researchers in social work often address issues that concern the management and solutions to concrete social problems, and seek to understand their contexts. Social work has developed within a strong interdisciplinary tradition, has a foundation in social theory and draws on theoretical and methodological approaches from a wide range of interrelated disciplines.
The research environment at the Department of Social Work in Umeå is rich and covers a wide range of topics and perspectives. Our research is part of Umeå University's area of excellence: "Social Welfare Research". Research at our department is also associated with social work practice. Accordingly, we have a long tradition of collaboration with the Development and Field Research Unit for Social Services at the municipality of Umeå (UFFE).
The Department of Social work acts as host to the Umeå Centre for Disability Research.
