The Place of Place in Social Work: Rethinking the Person-in-Environment Model in Social Work Education and Practice

ABSTRACT

Social work’s traditional emphasis on the individual in the context of social environments has resulted in a neglect of the person in the context of physical environments. This conceptual article addresses this oversight by presenting three subconcepts of place—place attachment, place identity, and territoriality—and draws on research examples with marginalized populations to illustrate the possibilities for understanding and integrating these concepts into social work. We ultimately argue for a shift toward an emphasis on place as a fresh avenue of inquiry to broaden and enhance social work education and practice.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bree Akesson

Bree Akesson is an Assistant Professor at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work in Ontario, Canada.

Victoria Burns

Victoria Burns is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS)–Urbanisation, Culture et Société (UCS) in Quebec, Canada.

Shawn-Renee Hordyk

Shawn-Renee Hordyk is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at École de Psychoéducation, Université de Montréal in Quebec, Canada.