和谐社会背景下社会工作发展的国际视野——以美国和加拿大社会工作为例

International Vision of Social Work Development Against Background of Harmonious Society

本文在探讨美国与加拿大社会工作职业和社会工作教育的共同起源和相互差异的基础上,指出两国社会工作职业发展中存在两种可能出现的内在冲突,即强调以个案和治疗的干预方式解决个体问题,还是强调以社会改革的干预方式解决社会问题。同时阐释了两国的社会工作业面临着严峻的挑战。这对于调整我国社会工作的发展取向,拓宽社会工作发展领域,提升社会工作教育层次,从而促进社会主义和谐社会建设具有重要意义。

This paper discusses shared origins and differences in the social work professions and education programs in the United States and Canada. Consideration is given to how the social work professions in the two countries try to resolve the possible inherent conflict between emphasis on dealing with problems of individuals with intervention approaches such as casework and therapy and emphasis on addressing the problems of society with social reform intervention approaches. Meanwhile, it must be noted that the social work profession and social work education programs both in the US and Canada face serious common challenges. This research will make more positive contributions to the adjustment of social work orientation, the development of social work and the promotion of its education, which will be benefitial to the construction of our harmonious society in an all-round way in China.