The place of social work in sustainable development: Towards ecosocial practice

TLDR

Ecological concerns are rarely linked to social work, yet the current social‑ecological crisis demands a societal transition that inevitably involves social work. The article proposes that social work can participate in the transition by incorporating ecological considerations into its practice, fostering empowerment, social capital, and resilience as part of broader socio‑political change.

Abstract

Peeters J. The place of social work in sustainable development: Towards ecosocial practice Ecological questions are seldom seen to concern the social dimension and, accordingly, to be of direct concern to mainstream social work practice. However, the current ‘social‐ecological crisis’ demands a major social transition to a sustainable society that touches all dimensions of our lives. So, social work cannot escape this process. This article argues that social work can engage in this transition starting from its social mission and tradition, provided it includes the ecological environment as an important element of practice and develops an ecosocial practice centred on empowerment, social capital formation and resilience building as both a contribution to and part of a process of social‐political change.