Social Work Theories and Methods
- Mel Gray - University of Newcastle, Australia
- Stephen Webb
The Second Edition of this celebrated book by two of the world's leading researchers in social work introduces readers to the main theories, theorists and perspectives that contribute to the debate on social work theory and social work methods. It brings together some outstanding international researchers in social work to challenge the reader to critically question how they think about social work.
The new edition includes a focus on the psychosocial perspective, with three new chapters on:
- Cognitive behavioral approaches
- Attachment theory and psychoanalytic social work
- Ecological approaches
Each chapter allows the reader to relate the theories and methods discussed to their own personal experiences. This reader friendly book includes student questions, glossaries and recommended reading so that students and practitioners can reappraise and expand the knowledge they have learned.
This book will be valuable for undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in social work theory and research methods, social work interventions and perspectives as well as post qualifying students and researchers in social work.
Praise for the first edition:
'An excellent book that provides a good deal of valuable material to stimulate debate and to alert readers of the need to engage more critically with the wider world in which social work is located.
Professor Keith Popple, Professor of Social Work, London South Bank University
This edition has retained the feeling of difference that came with the original and thus makes an alternative contribution to this genre of social work texts. It challenges its social worker readership to step outside familiar frameworks and discourse and to travel with the contributors through wider academic scenery and both recapture old connections and inform some new possibilities. It is a modern text, exploring a vast historical panorama, which successfully fuses theories of explanation with methods of intervention, enabling the reader to think about where today’s theoretically informed social work practice has come from.
Good presentation of key ideas for social work theories and methods.
An excellent text book which is fully comprehensive. This book will provide an invaluable source of reference for social work students at post graduate and undergraduate levels.
This book critically questions how we practice and think about social work.
With three new chapters, the new edition includes a focus on the psychosocial perspective. Each chapter allows the reader to relate the theories and methods discussed to their own personal experiences.
This is a great book in that it outlines all the theories and methods used in social work. It is nicely written, easy to follow and I think my students will appreciate that.
Excellent reading. Strong theoretical basis and provides Social Work students with a scholarly text for more in depth study
This is a comprehensive volume which presents important theories and contemporary pespectives in an easy to read and engaging manner.
A valuable contribution to helping students understand and apply a range of social work theories to their practice.
The content is quite easy to understand and this facilitates easy application of the theories.
