Social work and the politics of ‘austerity’: Ireland and Italy

ABSTRACT

No detailed analyses have been undertaken comparing and contrasting how social work is responding to the problems generated by the imposition of so-called ‘austerity’ measures in Europe. Comprised of three sections, the discussion is focused on Ireland and Italy. This comparative exploration locates social work within encompassing frameworks related to the changing population, political economy and welfare regime in each of these jurisdictions. Aspects of contemporary social work within Ireland and Italy are charted and the possibilities for confronting neoliberal ‘austerity’ are analysed. The article seeks to prompt and encourage comparative reflection within Europe in relation to how the social work imagination can be imbued with a new radicalism in the first quarter of the twenty-first century.

Non ci sono studi dettagliati dedicati a analizzare e discutere come il servizio sociale stia rispondendo ai problemi provocati dall’imposizione delle misure della cosiddetta ‘austerità’ in Europa. Composto di tre parti l’articolo si focalizza su Irlanda e Italia. Questa esplorazione comparativa colloca il servizio sociale all’interno di alcune cornici generali legate ai cambiamenti socio demografici, alla politica economica e ai regimi di welfare in vigore in questi paesi. Vengono delineate le principali caratteristiche del servizio sociale contemporaneo in Irlanda e in Italia e si analizzano le possibilità di far fronte e contrastare all’austerità neoliberista. L’articolo cerca di promuovere e incoraggiare una riflessione comparativa europea in merito a come l’immagine del servizio sociale del primo quarto del ventunesimo secolo possa essere permeata di un nuovo radicalismo.

KEYWORDS:

• Ireland
• Italy
• social work
• austerity

PAROLE CHIAVE:

• Irlanda
• Italia
• Austerità
• Servizio Sociale
• Assistenti Sociali

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on Contributors

Paul Michael Garrett, Ph.D., works at NUI Galway, in the Republic of Ireland, and his Social work and social theory (2013) is published, in Chinese translation, in 2016. He is also the author of three books which map facets of social work with children and families during the period of New Labour (1997–2010). Paul’s interventions, in a range of debates on social work’s evolution, have appeared in academic journals across a range of disciplines. For several years he has been a member of the editorial collective of Critical Social Policy and he is one of the founders of the Social Work Action Network (SWAN) Ireland.

Teresa Bertotti, Ph.D., works as Senior Lecturer of Social Work at the University of Milano Bicocca, Italy. She has a professional background in child and family social work, in managing child protection services and innovative projects. She has been actively involved in professional training and developed research studies on social work practice, social work evaluation and social services organisations. She is currently a member of the Executive Board of the European Association of school of Social Work (EASSW). Her actual research interests include evaluation, ethics, social workers’ competences and professionals’ relationships with organisations.

ORCID

Teresa Bertotti http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3670-0709

Notes

1. This paper was submitted for publication prior to the migration crisis and more migrants arriving in Italy. Such migration has, of course, been hazardous and has resulted in catastrophic fatalities. Relatedly, 4-6 June 2016 was appropriately designated European Social Work Days of Solidarity with Refugees.