Re-emergence of social work in modern China: A perspective by Chinese and U.S. partners

ABSTRACT

In this article, we offer a perspective on the re-emergence of social work in China from the viewpoint of a longstanding and very productive partnership between Chinese and U.S. social work educators and researchers. We begin with a brief historical context, followed by a description of partnership development among Peking University, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Washington University in St. Louis. To illustrate academic collaborations and policy innovation in this partnership, we use asset building, productive ageing, and financial capability as examples. The partnership has also included joint efforts and interactions for social workers training in multiple forms. We conclude with some of the challenges and lessons in this partnership.

本文从中美社会工作教育者和研究者长期的、 富有成效的合作伙伴关系视角来讨论中国社会工作的重建。论文首先简要介绍社会工作发展的历史背景, 然后阐述北京大学、 香港理工大学和圣路易斯华盛顿大学之间的合作伙伴关系的发展历程。论文以资产建设、 老龄化、 金融能力等研究领域为例，探讨伙伴关系进程中的学术合作和政策创新, 同时也分享了为培训社会工作者而展开的多种形式的共同努力和互动交流。论文最后讨论了合作伙伴关系中所经历的挑战和经验教训。

KEYWORDS:

• Social work
• China
• partnership
• applied social research
• social innovation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. The delegation consisted of the following members: Professor Wang Sibin, then Head of Sociology Department at PKU and President of the China Association of Social Work Education; Professor Zhang Lixi, then Vice President at the China Women’s College; Professor Angelina Yuen, then Associate Head of the Department of Applied Social Sciences at PolyU, and Dr. Ting Wai Fong, Assistant Professor at PolyU. The delegation visited the University of California at Berkeley, University of Michigan, Columbia University, and Washington University at St. Louis, and the National Council of Social Work Education.

2. Founding members of the University Social Responsibility Network include: PolyU (Chair), Peking University, China, Beijing Normal University, China, Sichuan University, China, Yonsei University, South Korea, Kyoto University, Japan, New South Wales University, Australia, Haifa University, Israel, Clare Hall of Cambridge University, UK, Manchester University, UK, Washington University at St. Louis, USA, Tufts University of USA, University of Pretoria, South Africa, and University of Sao Paulo of Brazil.