Environmental Social Work [Paperback]

Social work has been late to engage with the environmental movement. Often working with an exclusively social understanding of environment, much of the social work profession has overlooked the importance of environmental issues. However, recently, the impact of and worldwide attention to climate change, a string of natural disasters, and increased understanding of issues around environmental justice has put the environment, sustainability, and well-being in the spotlight.

Divided into three parts, this field-defining work explores what environmental social work is, and how it can be put into practice. The first section focuses on theory, discussing ecological and social justice, as well as sustainability, spirituality and human rights. The second section comprises case studies of evolving environmental social work practice. The case studies derive from a range of areas from urban gardens and community organizing to practice with those affected by climate change. The final section  relevant to students and lecturers  looks at learning about environmental issues in social work.

Environmental Social Workprovides an integrated theoretical and practical overview of why and how social work might respond to environmental factors affecting the societies and people they work with at international, national, local and individual levels.

Introduction  Editors  Part 1 - Theory: Mapping the Terrain of Environmental Social Work  1. Ecological and Social Justice: A Call to Action  Fred Besthorn  2. Ecosocial Work with Marginalized Populations: Time for Action on Climate Change  Tiani Hetherington & Jennifer Boddy  3. Environmental Sustainability, Sustainable Development, and Social Work  Arielle Dylan  4. Social Science Research in Ocean Environments: Al$