Social Work in Europe and Modern Societies
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The current development of social work is influenced by the processes referred to as ‘modernization’ in contemporary societies. There exists a large quantity of sociological literature which deals with some aspects of the phenomenon of modernization. The impact of this process on the politics of education, on the politics of health, and of the welfare state in general is studied.
All of these areas of study are of key importance for the realm of social work.
I have attempted to analyze both the similarities and the differences between two waves of modernization in terms of their impacts on the welfare state in general and on social work in particular. The results of my studies were published in the book entitled ‘Modernization and Transformation of the Social’ by ISIS (Volume 7).
Currently, I am beginning to study more concretely the role of ‘social capital’ in the realm of social relations. I plan to concentrate on the phenomenon of social networks in the context of the de-institutionalization of the whole of modern social life. The key problems of trust in situations of uncertainty will be studied. It is supposed that both the concept of social networks and the phenomenon of trust are becoming very important categories for social work in the contemporary phase of modernization.
Updated: 29. 03. 2017
