Internationalisation and Social Work, 15 Credits

Contents

This course aims at critical exploration of current issues in social work in an international context. The course involves learning about global processes shaping social work practices as well as the nature of social topics. It explores various global (or cross-cultural) social work theories/discourses on social topics, vulnerability and social work interventions and critically scrutinizes the effects of cross-national theoretical and practical applications.

It includes learning about social work in global sociopolitical contexts, mapping the structures, cultures and ideologies behind the variety of ways of organising social work and its professional development. Ideologies such as individualism, collectivism, liberalism, are discussed as elements shaping social work. Various social work models are discussed and contextualized, like casework and community work. Other theoretical perspectives that can contribute to an ability to critically reflect on international social work practice include the globalization of social problems, social justice, oppression, social development and anti-discriminatory practice. Challenges to social work education are examined as well. It also includes learning about common international standards as well as diversifications of social work and discusses if there are, or should be, universally applicable sets of values (reflected, or not, in the current ethics documents) for social work.

Expected learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students are expected to be able to demonstrate (through course activities, assignments and/or exams):

An understanding of the key factors shaping social work in different contexts;

- knowledge about different welfare regimes and to understand the implication of the practice of social work
- ability to describe and critically review the structures and ideologies shaping and organizing social work
- understand the concept of social citizenship and its relation to global structures preconditioning social work
- ability to critically analyze consequences of  globalization in relation to social rights and vulnerability
- analyze and reflect on cross national developments of  social work theories and practices .

Required Knowledge

A minimum of 90 ECTS  within one of the following: Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, Peace and conflict studies, Gender Studies, Economic and social geography, Political science, Law/legal Science
or in other courses that are considered equal to thus above, including a minimum of 15 ECTS bachelor thesis. Proficiency in English equivalent to Swedish upper secondary course English A/5.

Form of instruction

It is a web based course using an internet based platform for communication and teaching.
The course consists of recorden lectures, seminars, group work and individual studies. Emphasis is placed on combining theoretical perspectives with practical exercises in terms of understanding theory in relation to practical assignments. This is done through various exercises and group work presented at seminars. Seminars will be developed around topics arising from readings. The seminars are mandatory.

Internet-based teaching methods will be used during this course, which means that the student must have access to a computer with a web camera, a headset and high speed internet access.

Examination modes

The course is examined through seminar presentations, participation in online discussion forums and three written assignments during the course. The seminars are mandatory.

Students are required to conduct a library search of databases (Social Work Abstracts, PsychInfo, Medline etc.) that has to be connected to a specific issue that are related to a, by the student, chosen topic of interest.

There will be separate marks for seminar presentations, and written work. On seminars the grades are either fail or pass. On the written assignments the grades are either fail, pass or pass with distinction. To get pass with distinctions for the course, two of three written assignments must have been graded pass with distinction and all seminars must have been attended.

Written assignments should be in accordance with academically accepted forms and must be of a good linguistic standard.

If the student has a certificate of special pedagogical support, the examiner has the right to decide on an adjusted form of examination.

A student who doesn´t fulfill the goals for an examination but is close to the cutoff for a passing grade can, after a decision from the examining instructor be offered the opportunity to a completion of the exam in order to meet the criteria for a passing grade. The completion should be individually adapted based on the goals which were not met by the student and should take place within two weeks after the student receives their initial grade but prior to the next examination moment. It is only allowed to complete an exam from a failing to a passing grade, completions in order to achieve a higher grade are not allowed. If the student wishes, they have a right to do over the examination and thereby receive a higher grade than passing.

Other regulations

Literature

This course requires that students read a broad variety of texts from textbooks to reports and articles to online material. We will use material from at least some of the following texts - available in the bookshop on campus and also in the library:

During the course the students will choose additional readings related to their topic of interest