Provides the first complete survey of the vibrant field of critical and radical social work. Includes 50 newly-written chapters. Contributions in this Handbook make a conscious attempt to strategically add a further vital trajectory of intellectual practice theory to critical and radical social work.

How are identities formed among social workers, many of whom perform complex, challenging and ambiguous public sector functions on a regular basis? Why does identity come to matter for professional social work? This book, the first of its kind in the field, examines professional identity in relation to social work by asking how practitioners think of themselves as a "social worker", a professional self-concept often entangled in a range of relations, beliefs, values and experiences. Bringing together the perspectives of an internationally renowned group of specialists, the collection addresses a range of issues associated with professional identity construction and "being professional" in the context of a rapidly changing inter-professional environment. It introduces new concepts to social work, including materiality, enactment, performance, affect, entanglement, capital and worth, to consider the vexed issues surrounding matters of professional identity in social work. This will be an essential guide to all those keen to debate the challenges and possibilities confronting contemporary social work through the lens of professional identity, whether they are students, educators, practitioners, researchers, managers, policy-makers or associated professionals. It will also appeal to those interested in social theory, organisational sociology and leadership as well as anyone working in related fields of health and education.

How are identities formed among social workers, many of whom perform complex, challenging and ambiguous public sector functions on a regular basis? Why does identity come to matter for professional social work? This book, the first of its kind in the field, examines professional identity in relation to social work by asking how practitioners think of themselves as a "social worker", a professional self-concept often entangled in a range of relations, beliefs, values and experiences. Bringing together the perspectives of an internationally renowned group of specialists, the collection addresses a range of issues associated with professional identity construction and "being professional" in the context of a rapidly changing inter-professional environment. It introduces new concepts to social work, including materiality, enactment, performance, affect, entanglement, capital and worth, to consider the vexed issues surrounding matters of professional identity in social work. This will be an essential guide to all those keen to debate the challenges and possibilities confronting contemporary social work through the lens of professional identity, whether they are students, educators, practitioners, researchers, managers, policy-makers or associated professionals. It will also appeal to those interested in social theory, organisational sociology and leadership as well as anyone working in related fields of health and education.

Fundamental to social work are the values of justice and equality. But it has long been felt that these values are being eroded under a system of capitalist power. Serving to reactivate and refresh social work's radical tradition to form a new political agenda, The New Politics of Social Work:
- Brings together leading international authors to deliver a critical exploration of the impact capitalism has had on social work
- Paves the way for students and practitioners of social work to take a more transformative, radical approach
This is an important and authoritative book for both advanced level undergraduate and postgraduate students of Social Work.

This Handbook is the world's first generic major reference work to provide an authoritative guide to the theory, method, and values of social work in one volume. Drawn from an international field of excellence, the contributors each offer a critical analysis of their individual area of expertise. The result is this invaluable resource collection that not only reflects upon the condition of social work today but also looks to future developments. Split into seven parts, the Handbook investigates: - Policy dimensions - Practice - Perspectives - Values and ethics - The context of social work - Research - Future challenges It is essential reading for all students, practitioners, researchers, and academics engaged in social work.