SFC Saltire Emerging Researcher SER Programme
Targeted placement opportunity
EU Host HEI: Örebro University, Sweden
Host: Dr Jessica Jönsson
Scottish partner: Professor Stephen Webb, Glasgow Caledonian University
Placement title: More than human community: Theorising environment for contemporary social work policy and practice
Pathway: Social Work and Social Policy
Type of placement: Hybrid
Proposed placement dates: May 2nd – October 28th 2022
Placement Details
Background
‘People in place’ has been a key conceptual focus of social work since the pioneering work of Jane Adams and the settlement projects across Scotland. Social work involves working with people in the contexts in which they live as the challenges they face cannot be disaggregated from their material circumstances and communal relations. How community is constituted varies across differing social and material contexts. These are constantly changing, and contemporary communities form in the context of environmental degradation and new technologies as much as the traditional concerns of housing, transport and access to services. Community therefore continues to be important for social work but how environment is conceived needs to change in response to the current concerns.
Changing technologies and increasing impacts of environmental degradation mean that the human and more than human relations that constitute community are radically different to those of early social work. Notwithstanding the increased public concerns around climate change and environmental degradation, social work across Europe has been very slow to respond and to articulate how social work policy and practice might address these concerns. The proposed project will bring the thoughts and experience of social work practitioners into conversation with theories of more-than-human community and in doing so create the basis for a contemporary understanding of environment for social work.
Objectives
- Develop and undertake a programme of knowledge exchange on social work and environment that involves social work practitioners and scholars in Sweden. This will be achieved through a series of focus groups with social work practitioners working in Sweden. The researcher will be supported to foster connections with practitioners through ORU networks.
- Organise a symposium for the European Critical Social Work Network on Environment for Social Work. The placement holder will organise an online symposium that brings together research communities connected with the network to share knowledge on the intersection of social work, more than human community and environment.
- Co-author a paper that theorises environment for social work that will be presented at a network roundtable event.
Work plan
- Focus Group Design and Planning (May 2022)
- Round table Design and Planning (May 2022)
- Undertake focus groups (May – June 2022)
- Analysis of focus group data and production of round table paper (July – August 2022)
- Seminar with practitioners and policy makers (August 2022)
- Develop proposal for extensive research project across Sweden and Scotland and potentially with other network partners (October 2022)
Public engagement
The seminar that shares the focus group findings will involve thinking with social work practitioners and policy makers across Europe on environment.
Skills Required
Essential
- Knowledge of the current thought in social work and environment
- Skills and understanding of qualitative research
- Excellent communication
- Writing for publication
- Holds or near completion of a PhD in social work
Desirable
- Project Management
Professional Development Opportunities and Benefits to the researcher
This placement will give the holder the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge and also build a European network of contacts. This will allow them to extend their knowledge through a deeper understanding of the Swedish, Nordic and wider European context and also generate connections with future partners. The successful placement holder will have the opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge in the following areas:
- Planning and undertaking focus groups
- Research dissemination through events
- Building a European network of academics with shared interests
- Planning and managing a round table event
- Research proposal development
- Grant writing
The placement holder will have the opportunity to engage with social work policy makers and practitioners in Sweden through the empirical work and with the social work community across Europe through the seminar.
The host department will provide necessary administrative help during the candidate’s placement at ORU. Mentor Dr Jessica Jönsson will be responsible for organising seminars and joint discussions concerning the project and its activities in Sweden. ORU will help the candidate in organising focus groups and seminars with practitioners and policy makers in Sweden.
About the host
Orebro University:
- Conducts internationally competitive research and offers professional degree programmes that are among the best in the country.
- Combines, with the pursuit of building at its core, a broad range of disciplines with expertise in teaching and research.
- Is a sought-after and dedicated player in society that, together with others, promotes action in support of the global goals for sustainable development.
The host department will provide necessary administrative help during the candidate’s placement at ORU. Mentor Dr Jessica Jönsson will be responsible for organising seminars and joint discussions concerning the project and its activities in Sweden. ORU will help the candidate in organising focus groups and seminars with practitioners and policy makers in Sweden.
Host support
ORU will offer office space, library access and support from the Grants Office in Grant writing. ORU will support the candidate in finding accommodation during their stay in Sweden. The International Office at ORU will help with accommodation and other practical matters.
