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Book review: Hugman, Richard (2010) Understanding International Social Work. A Critical Analysis. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Nigel Hall International Social Work 2012 55: 285 DOI: 10.1177/0020872811423178 The online version of this article can be found at: http://isw.sagepub.com/content/55/2/285

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What is This?

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changing due to the war in the former Yugoslavia and social work educators need to continue to ask the question of What should social work education do? Yuen-Tsang and Ip compared social work education in Hong Kong to that in China and although China is working on a more culturally appropriate education, graduates of the Hong Kong social work programs found that in the Chinese institutions the practical aspect of social work was not encouraged as much as the theoretical base of the profession. Generally, social work in China has lacked support from the government and NGOs and more needs to happen to take social work education and practice to a more respected level.

Conclusion
This book gives different examples of how comparative research can be used in many different areas of research. It can be a comparison of different worldviews within and outside a country. It can be a comparison of an educational, practice or policy issue between different regions of one country or between different countries in the same region such as the European Union. It can also be research that compares a similar theme between very different countries. Many of the articles speak to the strengths and pitfalls of comparative research while others, through presenting their findings, show the wider implications of comparative research and the affect that the findings can have on policy and practice issues. Cross-cultural practicalities and challenges to both using qualitative and quantitative research in comparative research are discussed in many of the articles. The broader theme of the profession of social work and its place in the world through education and action are also discussed in the articles. I feel the book has a European bias and therefore the readership that will gain most from it are social workers and educators in Europe. However, I do believe that understanding best practice when it comes to comparative research is an urgent dialogue needed in research and social work at this time and this book adds to the knowledge base of best practice when working cross-culturally and with different worldviews.
Hugman, Richard (2010) Understanding International Social Work. A Critical Analysis. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN-13: 978-0-230-21959-5, 194 pp. Reviewed by: Nigel Hall, School of Social Work, Kingston University, UK & IFSW Representative

This is an excellent book in my opinion and well worth reading. Richard Hugman charts the development of international social work and raises key

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International Social Work 55(2)

questions about its validity and standing in the world today. The early chapters consider the global growth of social work, particularly in the post-1945 period when it was a key aspect of post-war reconstruction in Europe. This then led to the growth of professional social work around the world in the period of globalization, with a growing sense of the profession as an international entity. Hugman considers the often debated question as to whether social work is truly a global profession, a contentious point which is carefully considered all through this book. Can social work be considered a unified profession around the world with a common value base and agenda, or are its differences so profound that this is not possible? Hugman poses this question at various stages and we are brought tantalizing close to this (global) possibility, but never quite seem to get there. Hugman takes us into a consideration of different visions of international social work, following on from Healys (2008) distinction relating to various conceptions of international practice from working in a country other than the home country of the social worker, working with persons whose origins are different from ones own, or with international organizations (INGOs), to collaboration between social workers in different countries. Hugman then considers how the practice of international social work relates to global issues, such as refugees, asylum seekers and forced migrants, human trafficking, natural disasters, poverty, the impact of rapid industrialization, and the situation faced by indigenous people. The UN Millennium Development Goals and their implications for social work are considered in relation to key international concerns such as HIV/ AIDS, Health and the Family, Literacy and Gender, and Employment and Environment. Poverty alleviation as a key factor is considered and this leads Hugman to suggest that social and cultural factors must be connected to economic and technical solutions. He then stresses the value of broadening the role of social work to take in the concept of social development and widen the mandate of social work to include macro-, mezzo- and micro-concerns not just in the developing world of the global South, but also in the global North as well. This is an important consideration as social work operates in many varied contexts in very diverse environments, which Hugman has experienced himself through direct work in various countries, including the UK, Vietnam and Australia and insights from his practice experience are brought into the book. There are also helpful practical examples given of social workers working in a variety of contexts in diverse situations such as Ukraine, Canada, New Zealand, New York City, Vietnam and Zambia. Hugman considers the impact of the major international professional bodies of social work (IASSW/IFSW/ICSW) through the global documents that cover education and training, human rights and ethics and the

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contribution of these professional organizations to the United Nations system. He reflects on the concerns of others (e.g. Yip, 2004) that these in some way mirror the value system of the global North. This raises concern about the now classic concerns professional imperialism (Midgley, 1981) and the possible undermining of appropriate social work in other settings. This has even gone to the extent of questioning whether the very concept of social work is relevant in the global South and led to interesting debates on ideas of indigenization and authentization. The discussion concerning authentization, in respect of developing education and training materials suitable for Vietnam, emphasizes the relevance of incorporating key features of practice as well as theory, geared towards the current needs of the country. Questioning the concept of professionalism in social work, its relationship to globalization and global culture and then to local concerns, is central to this book. The complex and often elusive nature of social work is explored through a look at different forms of the profession which range from casework to structural work concerned with social change, which although often operating separately, have at times been bridged by techniques such as radical casework (Fook, 1993) or anti-discriminatory practice, which bring macro concerns into the sphere of individuals and families. As noted, social development is explored as a concept and whether this may be the missing link that brings the disparate parts of the profession together. Towards the end Hugman draws together key debates between micro- and macro-theories and practices, universal and particular understandings of social work, the dynamics of professionalism internationally and the contribution of international social work generally. Hugman points out that even when social work is appropriately concerned with local issues the context must always be seen in relation to a wider understanding of the causes of and potential resolutions for human need. There is a helpful glossary of international terms and a very detailed bibliography, which add value to this very readable book. References
Fook, J. (1993) Radical Casework: A Theory of Practice. St Leonards NSW: Allen & Unwin. Healy, L.M. (2008) International Social Work: Professional Action in an Interdependent World, 2nd edn. New York: Oxford University Press. Midgley, J. (1981) Professional Imperialism. London: Heinemann. Yip, K.-S. (2004) A Chinese Cultural Critique of the Global Qualifying Standards for Social Work Education, Social Work Education 23(5): 597612.

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