Course Syllabus for students Autumn 2024

Upon completion of the course the student should have the ability to

• elaborate on theories and methods for community work with groups in a national and international context
• describe inclusionary and exclusionary structures on group and society level.

• apply and reflect upon theories and methods for promoting social change in groups and societies
• analyze social problems and identify, plan and propose interventions for groups and communities together with service users and stakeholders
• apply and reflect upon participatory research methods in community work.

• critically reflect upon how social conditions affect living conditions for different groups in society
• critically reflect upon the social worker’s role and the significance of cooperation with non-government organisations in social work with groups and communities from a national and international perspective
• Reflect upon the prerequisites for service user participation in development of interventions in social work.

- social work with groups and communities such as outreach work, preventive work, community work, social entreprenuership, anti-discriminatory work, advocacy and empowerment
- participation and inclusion and their meaning for social work practice
- mobilisation of citizens and non-government organisations engagement in social work
- methods for developing and running projects and other forms of collaboration
- participatory research

The course is conducted in the form of lectures, seminars and fieldwork.

The teaching is conducted in English.

General entry requirements and passing grades in courses of 60 credits in the field of Social Work. Furthermore fullfilled the course requirements for Social work, assessment, administration and documentation 7,5 credits or equivalent.
International students are required to demonstrate equivalent grades and knowledge from recognized university.

The course is graded A, B, C, D, E, FX or F.

The course is examined by an individual written exam, group project including field study and seminar.

The course examiner is a senior lecturer.

Name of the Test	Value	Grading
Individual written exam	4 credits	A/B/C/D/E/FX/F
Group project including field study and seminar	3.5 credits	U/G

Aldén, L., & Hammarstedt, M. & Neuman, E (2015). Ethnic Segregation, Tipping Behavior, and Native Residential Mobility. International Migration review. 49(1), 36–69.

Andersson, B. (2013). Finding ways to the hard to reach – considerations on the content and concept of outreach work. European Journal of Social Work, 16(2), 171-186.

Brady, Sh. R. & O’Connor, M.K. (2014). Understanding How Community Organizing Leads to Social Change: The Beginning Development of Formal Practice Theory. Journal of Community Practice, 22(1-2), 210-228.

Bursell, M. (2012): Name change and destigmatization among Middle Eastern immigrants in Sweden. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 35(3), 471-487.

Campbell, C. (2013). Community mobilisation in the 21st century: Updating our theory of social change? Journal of Health Psychology, 19(1), 46-59.

Connell, J., & Klem, A. (2000). You Can Get There From Here: Using a Theory of Change Approach to Plan Urban Education Reform. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 11(1), 93–120. DOI: 10.1207/s1532768Xjepc1101_06

Eriksson, L. (2010). Community development and social pedagogy: traditions for understanding mobilization for collective self-development. Community development journal, 46(4), 403-420.

Flanagan, N. (2020). Considering a participatory approach to social work- Service user research. Qualitative social work. 19(5-6), 1078-1094. DOI: 10.1177/1473325019894636Links to an external site.

Grander, M., Roelofs, K., & Salonen, T. (2021). Area-based development initiatives: a means to an end or an end in itself? -a literature overview on the case of Sweden. Nordic social work research, [ahead of print], 1-13. DOI:10.1080.2156857X.2021.1997792Links to an external site.

Hämäläinen, J. (2015). Defining Social Pedagogy: Historical, Theoretical and Practical Considerations. British Journal of Social Work (45), 1022-1038. DOI: 10.1093/bjsw/bct174

Larsen, L., & Harlan, S.L., & Bolin, B., & Hackett, E.J., & Hope, D., & Kirby, A., & Nelson, A., & Rex, T.R., & Wolf, S. (2004). Bonding and bridging: Understanding the relationship between social capital and civic action. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 24, 64-77.

McCave, E,L., & Rishel, C,W. (2011). Prevention as an explicit part of social work profession: A systematic investigation. Advances in Social Work, 12(2), 226-240.

Sahlin, I. (2000). Conceptual and functional aspects of prevention. Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 17(1_suppl), 24-42. DOI: 10.1177/145507250001701S06

Schwalbe, M., & Holden, D., & Schrock, D., & Godwin, S., & Thompson, S., & Wolkomir, M. (2000). Generic processes in the reproduction of inequality: An interactionist analysis. Social Forces, 79(2), 419-452.

Sjöberg, S., Többe-Schukalla, M., Singh, S., & Martinss, K. H. (2016). Community work in Germany and Sweden in context of changing welfare models. International Social Work, 0020872816666622.

Additional scientific articles.

The most recent editions of the course literature should be used.