Importance Of Internationalization Of Social Work

THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERNATIONALISATION OF SOCIAL WORK IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD: from an Indian point of view

S. Rama Gokula Krishnan, Full time PhD research scholar (JRF), Department of Social Work, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli.
V. Sethuramalingam, Professor and Head, Department of Social Work, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli.

Abstract: This paper attempts to highlight the importance of internationalisation of Social Work and its impact from an Indian perspective. In a globalized world, almost all professions and disciplines have gone global. Why then, should Social Work be left behind?

Key Words: International Social Work, Global North, Global South.

Introduction

The International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW)

Working for agencies dealing with cross-national issues: Such agencies are committed to handling issues like international adoption of children.
4. Working for international Social Work organisations: For example the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) which has a hundred and sixteen countries as its members and has been granted Special Consultative Status by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) (IFSW, 2014)
Since the establishment of the ‘Young Women’s Christian Association’ (1855) in England (Healy, 2001), Social Work as an organized profession and as a discipline has touched shores and crossed boarders. According to Payne and Askeland Social Work has always been international (Askeland, 2008). Hence, although Social Work as an organized profession first emerged in the west it was destined to go global and undoubtedly it has.
This paper will argue for further stress on the importance of internationalisation of Social Work, with a special focus on the growing need for the Global South to engage more in international Social Work and also document it.
Global issues heed only global

(Askeland, 2008). Some of the social problems the world faces today require international solutions. Ideas and ways of working are directly transferable between countries (Askeland, 2008). Hence, there is a universal need to complete the ongoing process of internationalisation of Social Work. Another valid reason that highlights the importance of internationalisation of Social Work is the growing tensions between the East and the West. This can be addressed by cross cultural exchanges which will aid in better understanding of the points of view of both sides (TAN, 2012). Many organisations and agencies which first began in the Global North have now turned international. Such developments indicate the forward march of international Social Work. Some of the essentials of Social Work were bound to go international from the very beginning. For example in a comparative study both U.S. and Scottish students were surprised to see that both countries were facing ethnic and racial discrimination, a violation of Social Justice. Although the students from the U.S. assumed that Scotland being a homogenous country would not be facing problems of racial and ethnic discrimination, they were surprised to find that it did (Lindsey, 2005). All is not well in international Social Work. The