Social Work Values and Ethics Issues of Universality

Authors

  • Linda Kreitzer University of Calgary, Faculty of Social Work

Abstract

The question of whether the social work profession has a set of values that can be claimed by all social workers around the world has been and continues to be an important issue in a growing interdependent world. With the increase in global cooperation and collaborative projects between social work programs worldwide, the similarities and differences in social work values should be explored. Core social work values in nonwestern countries reflect societies in which the importance of community, spirituality, traditional beliefs, social justice/action and economic circumstances are emphasized. In western countries social work values are more concerned with individualism, objectivity, discrimination issues, self-realization and democracy. The purpose of this article is to examine the definition and layers of values, the emergence of social work values, the relationship between social work values and their social context and whether or not it is possible to have universal social work values.

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Issue

Vol. 5 No. 1 (2006)

Section

Articles

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