**2. Discussion**

#### **2.1 Introducing social work education**

#### *2.1.1 Understanding social work*

The importance of social work as an academic discipline and a practice-based profession would be vital in future more than in the past and present. The global definition given by the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) provides the foundation for further discussion [1]. Social work is a professional activity that serves the society and its people from micro, mezzo to macro levels by strengthening the capacities and capabilities of people to enrich the lives of all [2]. The social workers around the world strive to create a better living space by using the theories they have learnt in practical contexts for which they need to have a sound theoretical knowledge about the discipline that they are going to be engaged in and a thorough practice in the field settings to try out what they have learnt [3]. During the past few years, the knowledge provision of social work has been a serious concern of the academics, researchers, and policymakers around the globe [4–7].

Even though social work began initially to support the poor and the needy, a subsequent understanding directed it to be developed as a professional career [6, 8, 9]. Philanthropers, during the initial stages in the Europe and the USA, were based on a religious foundation when they were helping the poor. As time passes, they were of the opinion that the proper systematization of the charity work would serve the communities better than what they have been doing [6, 8]. When analyzing the nature of social work today, it is understood that as an academic discipline, social work has been able to deliver a superior service to different segments of society than what it was initially contributing. As an academic discipline, the universities in the developed world commenced social work study programs [4, 6, 8, 10], and then, the developing world followed the suit understanding the value creation it can add to their societies [5, 6, 11–14]. At present, different Universities, Schools of Social work, International and National Associations, Higher educational Institutes, and many other private sector institutions have begun to offer social work academic programs integrated with field work practice. These Social Work programs have been designed from the Certificate, Foundation, Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Bachelors, Masters, Masters of Philosophy, and up to the standard of Doctorates.

#### *2.1.2 Evolution of social work education*

The historical evolution of the social work education (SWE) in the developed world could be understood in relation to industrialization, urbanization, the economic crises such as the "Great Depression" and immigration [8, 9]. The main aim of the Charity Organization Societies (COSs) and the Settlement House Movements (SHMs) was to assist the needy during that time. Some of the American government's social welfare programs facilitated the introduction of Social Security Act of 1935. The Economic Opportunity Act, Older American Act, and the Food Stamps Program also directed toward satisfying the needs of the different groups of people in society [15]. Industrialization had created numerous antisocial contexts and personalities due to the pressures created on individuals. Prostitution, child labor, alcoholism, suicide, mental illnesses, and many other social evils generated by the industrialization immediately demanded the need of a discipline akin to Social Work. The immigrant

#### *Perspective Chapter: Social Work Education in University Curricula for Sustainable Development DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.106246*

communities in the West were another concern. Inability to integrate into the systems of host communities created many issues for both the visitors and the hosts.

On the other hand, the developing world had witnessed the development of the SWE mainly through Westernization that was prompted by colonialism [6, 11, 12]. Modernization and globalization were the subsequent impacts of Western imperialism [12]. The developing world of the African, Asian and Latin American regions had their own social issues based on the plurality of those societies. Colonialism aggravated these issues and Westernization became the problem than a solution to their social, political, economic, religious, legal, educational, cultural, and other concerns [11]. Yet, the modernization process that was thrust upon the Rest by the West convinced them the solutions also can be arrived at by following the education system of the West. Social work also became one of the Western academic disciplines for them even though these indigenous, non-Western societies had been practicing social work of their own since time immemorial. With the influences of globalization, those non-Western academics who are pursuing for better, lucrative careers with social prestige and distinction found Social Work to be one of the leading professions in the contemporary context [2]. Apart from that, Social Work has become a distinctive discipline that can foster different forms of development, social policy formulation, and planning [2, 5, 11, 13].

All the above examples prove the need of the services of professional social workers and the training institutes to train them, a comprehensive curriculum to provide a unique, country-specific content, the competent professionals to conduct these training programs, and the centers of excellence to practice this new knowledge. The sub-specializations got developed in relation to the different fields of practice as time passes. It was drawing its subject matter—theory and practice—from many other disciplines such as Economics, Political Science, Sociology, Anthropology, History, and Psychology but at the same time, trying to develop its own identity as an autonomous discipline. The establishment of national level associations, publication of text books, journals, and the organizing and conducting the symposiums or conferences, the presentations of research drew the attention of the intelligentsia, the researchers, and the general public who are interested in this new discipline, Social Work.

#### *2.1.3 The importance of social work education*

During the initial stages, there were only the affluent, privileged, educated individuals and self-managed groups those who could serve in charity programs [8]. They were volunteers who had an enthusiasm and affordability to help the poor, children, war victims, and the aged. As these activities progress, it was identified that a professional training was needed to serve the concerned individuals or communities better. For example, during the World Wars I and II, the nurses and the doctors have treated the war victims, but there were many long-term physical and psychological ailments that these victims were suffering from. To help them to live their lives peacefully during their old age, the services of the expertise were needed. So, Social Work had to initiate different social work practices in different fields.

The schools, families, hospitals, prisons, elders' homes, rehabilitation centers, community-based organizations, and mental hospitals needed the services of social workers who have a specialized training. At the beginning, the Social Work knowledge and programs inevitably became a Western-oriented discipline even in the non-Western regions [6, 11, 12]. There is no harm in becoming so because the entire world was practicing the knowledge, theories, approaches, and models developed by the

Western scholars, especially, in the United Kingdom and USA [2, 12]. But as different countries have different issues, there were many competing and conflicting interests. The cultural milieu of different geographies demanded unique Social Work programs for different countries. But still the world cannot be happy to conclude that the social work programs conducted around the world are fully comprehensive and holistic [6]. There are many efforts to be made to make it a representative discipline that would satisfy the requirements of, at least, the majority of the world.

In 2019, the two leading international institutes, the IFSW and the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW), have got together to finalize the Global Standards for Social Work Education and Training [16]. To realize this final document, the contributions came from 400 universities and higher educational institutes representing 125 countries. Further, there were five regional associations that contributed to make this project a success. Social work practitioners, academia, and a large number of researchers related to Social Work extended their knowledge and expertise to formulate the uniformity of this document. Since different countries have been employing diverse methods, the standardization of the Social Work practice in education and training is a timely need. When using or implementing the knowledge, the Western-oriented knowledge may not be suitable to all the other contexts.

A standardized global Social Work practice is needed due to various reasons. Even though the countries are different, the problems of the people may be the same. Therefore, the settings, the fields of practice, theories, models, approaches, techniques, skills, and ethical guidelines could have similar orientations. But, the resources available, whether human or physical, are dissimilar [6]. The structure of the education programs and the delivery methods are different. In the global South, the opportunities for continuing professional development (CPD) in the field of social work are less [5, 11, 12]. Accreditation for the institutions and courses, licensing, and the legal support for the programs are essential prerequisites [13]. The governments have to institute regulatory bodies to look into the progress of the discipline.

So, the present SWE and training has to get ready for the new inequalities that would arise and their possible after effects on humankind. The inability to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGs), political instabilities, regular economic crises, ethnic and other forms of conflicts and gender disparities have been the critical issues of both global North and South at present. The natural disasters also have created opportunities for the social workers around the world to provide many services to the victims. Because of all these, the curriculum and the training in Social Work programs should align with the basic human rights of the world.

#### *2.1.4 Theorizing social work education*

Social Work theories inform the social workers what they should do and how they should do it when they are in their respective fields of practice. The knowledge of theory helps them how to organize their work when they work with others. Theory in Social Work curriculum has been derived from many other similar disciplines; Sociology, Economics, Political Science, Education, Anthropology, and Psychology [17, 18]. Therefore, when teaching, learning, or applying Social Work theories, the teachers and the learners, that means, the social workers, have to be aware that all these theories are nothing new. Those are the extensions or adaptations of the existing theories that have been practiced over generations. Constantly, the people, places, and the issues are changing. So, the same theory may not be applicable to different

*Perspective Chapter: Social Work Education in University Curricula for Sustainable Development DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.106246*

countries even if the issue is the same. How these existing theories are prominent in the curriculum of this new discipline is the most important aspect discussed in this subsection.

Cox et al. provide an exhaustive list of social work theories that can be seen in the literature produced in relation to social work [17]. As was said earlier, most of these theories are derived from basic sociological, political, economic, anthropological, and psychological perspectives [17, 18]. Apart from that, the feminist, postmodern, and behavioral theories also have become notable approaches. When designing the Social Work curriculum, different study programs have given importance to certain theories based on their own requirements. Payne explains that the ultimate aim of the social work theories is to solve the problems of the people, empower people, and become the driver for social change [19]. In many circumstances, the social workers have to engage in qualitative studies. So, the social workers should be able to penetrate how the individuals or groups construct their world views, thus requiring the knowledge of phenomenological and ethnomethodological approaches.

The formal and informal classification used by Oko is another notable distinction [18]. The fundamental theories are the structural theories such as consensus and conflict theories. The consensus theory is related to the functionalist paradigm, whereas the conflict theory to the Marxist paradigm. The interpretivist theory is the social action theory or constructivist approach. The formal theories—empowerment approach or strength perspective, educate the social workers to understand the people's weaknesses and help them to rebuild their lives. The informal theories, on the other hand, are dependent on "word of mouth," "on-the-job training," and "commonsense" ideologies [18]. These are equally powerful at the field of practice when practicing social work by the social workers. The real world of the people should be really understood when the social workers work with them in their own environments.
