Social Work Professional Organizations: why they are relevant and how to study them

This chapter explains why SWPOs deserve greater attention and takes initial steps toward developing an approach to their study. The first section outlines the weaknesses of the literature on professional organizations in social work. The second section draws on contributions from sociology, social policy, and social work to argue why SWPOs warrant increased attention today. The third section illustrates key features of a possible research framework, with a view to informing the national and cross-country analyses presented in the subsequent chapters of the book. In the same perspective, the conclusion identifies several research questions that appear particularly urgent to address.