North/South Collaborations

Abstract

The age of late capitalism and transnationalism compels professionals to rethink the boundaries of their theory and practice. Social work educators are responding to these changes both by paying attention to “the international” in the curriculum, and by seeking to forge links between the “developed” and the “developing” world. International social work needs to be persistently examined to analyse the impacts of dramatic shifts in power, technology, migration, trade and travel. This article addresses some of these issues through a reflective analysis of a North/South collaborative endeavour in which I was intimately involved. The collaboration illustrates how imperialism can pervade North/South encounters and exchanges and helps to identify some obstacles which get in the way of achieving respectful alliances. The concept of transnational-ism, transnational feminism and a review of international social work are analysed to understand the shifting contexts for working across borders and within changing states. The intent is to identify some features of a critical collaborative approach towards international and anti-oppressive social work in a transnational age.

Key Words:

• Transnationalism
• imperialism
• international
• feminism
• pedagogy
• collaborations