SAVE THE DATE
Conference on Ecosocial Work
Date: 13/14 June 2024
Location: Rotterdam in The Netherlands
We would like to extend an invitation for you to save the date. Further details regarding the program, registration, etc., will be provided to you as soon as possible.
IFSW member organizations will have priority for conference registration.
The focus of the conference dedicated to social workers revolves around the exploration and integration of ecosocial work as a new paradigm. Key questions include how this paradigm affects social work practice and professional ethics. The conference aims to address the role of social work in contributing to a sustainable society that combines ecological and social concerns, along with considerations for justice at various levels.
In addition, the conference explores effective educational methods for fostering environmental awareness without adopting a paternalistic approach. Indigenous and local knowledge is highlighted as valuable sources of understanding, provoking discussion on how to promote diversity and knowledge ecology in the field. The conference also addresses the dilemmas associated with respecting the diversity of knowledge.
Moreover, emphasis is placed on preparing social work students for their role in developing and implementing an eco-social contract, underscoring the importance of integrating environmental and social considerations into the profession’s educational framework and future practices.
There are quite a few issues to be considered during the workshops and discussions:
- If we consider ecosocial work as a new paradigm, what does this imply for social work practice and professional ethics?
- How can social work contribute to a sustainable society that promotes and encompasses an integration of ecological and social issues and different dimensions of justice?
- How can we promote a shift from ego to eco, and which educational methods are useful to develop eco-awareness without being paternalistic?
- What can we learn from indigenous and local knowledge, and how can we promote diversity and ecology of knowledge? What dilemmas do we encounter when respecting a diversity of knowledge?
- How can we prepare students of social work for their role in the development and implementation of an eco-social contract?