Course Syllabus for students Autumn 2022

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 and give examples of 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 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 inter-professional cooperation in social work with groups and communities from a national and international perspective.

- 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 in disadvantaged areas
- 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, oral presentation and peer review and seminars.

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, oral presentation and peer review	2.5 credits	U/G
Seminars	1 credit	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.

Cujpers, P. (2003). Three decades of Drug prevention research. Drugs: education, prevention and policy, 10(1).

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


Ife, J., & Tesoriero, F. (2006). Community development, chap 1, 3 (PDF).

Jönsson, J. H.(2018). Servants of a ‘sinking titanic’ or actors of change? European Journal of Social Work 22(2), 212-224.

Jönsson, J. H. (2015). The contested field of social work in a retreating welfare state: the case of Sweden. Critical and Radical Social Work, 3(3), 357-374.

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.

Malmberg, B., & Andersson, E., & Östh, J. (2013). Segregation and urban unrest in Sweden. Urban Geography, 34(7), 1031–1046.

Mattsson, T. (2014). Intersectionality as a useful tool: Anti-oppressive social work and critical reflection. Affilia, 29(1), 8-17.

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.

Odenbring, Y. (2019). The Daily Life and Reality Behind Child Poverty in Sweden: Children’s and Adolescents’ Voices. Child indicators research, 12(3), 847–859.

Payne, M. (2014). Modern social work theory. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Chapters 8,11,13,14 (PDF).

Schierup, C-U., & Ålund, A. (2011). The end of Swedish exceptionalism? Citizenship, neoliberalism and the politics of exclusion. Race & Class, 53(1) 45-64.

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.

Sturup, J., & Rostami, A., & Mondani, H., & Gerell, M., & Sarnecki, J., & Edling, C. (2018). Increased gun violence among young males in Sweden: a descriptive national survey and international comparison. European journal on criminal policy and research, 25, 365-378.

Wilinska, M. (2012) Is there a place for an ageing subject? Stories of ageing at the University of the Third Age in Poland. Sociology, 46(2), 290-305.

Additional scientific articles.

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