Introduction: Social Work And The Making Of Social Policy

Both social policy and social work contribute to processes of societal (dis-)integration in modern welfare states of the ‘global North’. The interdependence of the two fields is quite often framed as a one-way road: Reforms in generalised social policy schemes affect social work top-down. By contrast, this book underscores the mutuality of the relationship between social policy and social work by focusing on the bottom-up influence of social work(ers) on the making of social policy, as well as the role of social workers as implementers. The introductory chapter gives an overview of the state of the art regarding this research perspective. In addition, it presents a conceptual framework of social work’s role in social policy-making by using the policy cycle as the core analytical lens. The chapter reflects on possibilities for political influence at the different stages of the policy cycle and explores the opportunities of political action open to different types of social work actors.