Deadline for abstracts (max 250 words): 15.6.2020
Contact: Ronald Lutz, lutz@fh-erfurt.de
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has changed people's lives and the way they interact together in almost all nations and regions. The political reactions to this global pandemic have influenced national responses and play a significant part in the changes it has triggered. Presently, the world is experiencing political, social and economic upheavals of epic proportion, never seen or encountered since the turn of the 20th century due to COVID-19. Life as we knew it before the pandemic will never be the same and societies will have to come to terms with the threat of the virus and, above all, with its consequences such as lockdowns, social distancing and other measures. Some of its consequences are still unforeseeable, but some of its contours are beginning to show.
The virus has impacted everyone and all regions of the globe: rich and poor, north and south, but many are affected more directly, more severely and differently. For example, the virus has highly disproportionately affected the most vulnerable in society such as indigenous peoples, people with disabilities or minorities. In the United States the African-American population has experienced a much higher mortality rate because of their disadvantaged socio-economic conditions and inadequate health coverage. Borders that had begun to open up are now closing again, making the overdue humanitarian plans to resettle refugees to be postponed indefinitely. Solidarity is once again defined first and foremost on national terms, even though the virus does not stop at borders. Existing inequalities within and between countries and regions are being exacerbated, while new ones are already being created. If most societies in the North can still absorb these economic and social costs of COVID-19, to some extent, because of their considerable resources, the case will hardly be the same or even possible in the countries of the Global South. This pandemic aggravates the situation in poorer countries and at the same time increases global inequality. The social costs of the pandemic in particular challenge social policy, social development and social work, as well as social welfare measures in both the Global North and especially in the South.
However, the virus, its presence and consequences show how important it is to think beyond national boundaries. Crucially, it has now become important to emphasize the need for international solidarity and exchanges. In terms of social interaction, the lockdowns will result in other morally problematic consequences. Children in so-called "educationally disadvantaged" households or from precarious backgrounds receive less support from home in coping with so-called home schooling. Many workers in precarious circumstances or those who are self-employed, with no financial assets or resources already have their livelihoods threatened by COVID-19. Parents, especially mothers and single parents, are doubly burdened by the asymmetry in the distribution of care work, which is still present in most families. Furthermore, other groups, such as women or children in violent households, are currently experiencing additional burdens in quarantine. In the UK, the death toll of women being murdered by their partners has almost doubled. On the political level, we also see the different styles of leadership and the problems associated with authoritarian or populist governments.
This book endeavours to offer a platform for articulating, discussing and analysing these issues from both the Global South and North. It seeks to open a space for reports and analyses that deal with current developments emanating from COVID-19 and their impacts. It will also create a space for political considerations, for concepts and visions, for discussions about the relevance of local and indigenous knowledges, for reflections on the necessary anti-hegemonic and post-colonial character of international social work. It envisages that it will go beyond the current phase of the pandemic and raise the challenge to design and practice social work locally whilst thinking and networking at a more translocal, international and postcolonial level.
These intentions have two components: On the one hand, the exchange shows which problems arise in other places, what similarities and differences there are, and how the crisis and its consequences are dealt with there. Conclusions can be drawn for one's own practice of social work. These conclusions will be reflected critically in the book. On the other hand, this worldwide crisis becomes clear as a consequence of globalization, in which the countries of the Global North as a whole have the better technical resources but, through their ambivalent solidarity, continue to think and act in largely national categories. It is noticeable that the rich West in particular is struggling with certain challenges, such as a delayed reaction and lack of compliance with the measures.
Given these issues, the objectives of the contributions in the book should be:
1. To draw attention to the global impact of COVID-19 and to highlight national responses that effect the global pandemic in southern and northern countries.
2. To assess global social work and social development responses to COVID-19.
3. To discuss how nations are meeting the needs of the poor and marginalized communities in the Global South and North.
4. To examine the coping mechanisms and strategies of poor and marginalized population groups in the Global South and North.
Issues like these must be discussed more intensively on an international and public policy level. During this pandemic and beyond, social work must find an active voice, which sides with the "oppressed" (Paulo Freire) and the "damned of this earth" (Frantz Fanon) and contributes to its own decolonisation.
It is important to note that the global pandemic has revealed many challenges inherent in national, continental and supranational systems, as well asinequalities and inequities in economic and health systems in southern and northern countries. The current situation reveals, that international social work must be an "interwoven social work", which operates locally but must be part of an international network. This is one theoretical focus of the book. Networking internationally shows clearly that global solidarity, an exchange about problems and concepts, is imperative. Solidarity is already evident in existing international networks; IFSW was one of the first organisations to place positions on international solidarity and exchange. It is therefore to be expected that this book will be able to report on these cases of international solidarity and how they are helping to fight COVD-19. One of the key outcomes of this book is to generate more information on the manner in which countries around the globe have responded to COVID-19. The other outcome is to show how social workers across the globe are helping to fight COVID-19.
The current situation provides an opportunity to identify and pin-point major deficits that have existed for a long time around the world and which are currently intensifying the effects of the global pandemic. This opens a window to fundamentally question and
end the hegemony of the Global North, which is sometimes also evident in social work. Linked to this, reflecting beyond the pandemic and into the future, social work must become more political at all levels and strive to transform societies as well as global social development, economic and health systems.
We especially encourage young scholars to submit their work.
Potential contributions may include the following topics, but are not limited to: Issues and Problems
- The effects of the pandemic and (emergency) responses on marginalized groups such as indigenous populations, women, children, displaced people, migrants and refugees, the poor, etc. and their coping strategies. - the societal effects on pandemic response, e.g. mental health crises, loss of livelihood, environmental changes - the subordination of other important issues to pandemic response e.g. global health problems, poverty, global economic inequalities, trade relationships, natural disasters - Political and societal conflicts, extremism, inequalities, religious fundamentalism, mistrust in science Social Work, social development and social welfare Responses
- How social work is responding to and during the crisis and what challenges it faces (methods, practice) - Analyses of specific issues such as poverty, basic services, health care, education, violence - Social policy issues, economic issues in responding to the pandemic and social development - Significance of local and indigenous knowledges in crisis management, - the role of networking: translocal, international and postcolonial Political Strategies
- Global and local solidarity - Transformation processes, the significance of (digital) technology in our lives and social relations - International Organisations, Human Rights, Global Justice
The Editors
Maria do Carmo Gonçalves, Centro Scalabriniano des Estudos Migratorios, Brasilia, Brasil
Rebecca Gutwald, Munich School of Philosophy, Munich, Germany
Tanja Kleibl, University of Applied Science, Würzburg-Schweinfurt, Germany
Janestic Twikirize, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Ronald Lutz, University of Applied Science, Erfurt, Germany
Ndangwa Noyoo, University of Cape Town, South Africa
Deadline for abstracts (max 250 words): 15.6.2020
Contact: Ronald Lutz, lutz@fh-erfurt.de
Final Deadline for chapters (max 6000 words): 31.12.2020
Abstracts and contributions have to be submitted in English
