"What is transformative social work? In international western social work circles, the term "transformative" seems to be the new buzzword, but it is not always clear what it means. It seems to have entered social work literature in the last two decades, possibly as an updated version of terms from earlier decades, such as "radical" (1970s), "feminist" (1980s), or "critical" (1990s). But it may also include orientations to particular types of theorizing, such as "social constructionism" (1990s), "poststructural" (2000s onwards), "relational" (2010s). It seems "transformative" is both a political and theoretical term, an umbrella under which a mixture of concepts and theoretical and political orientations are gathered. Since there is quite a deal of variation in how the term is interpreted, it follows that there will be quite a deal of variation in how it plays out in actual practice. In Transformative Social Work: Practices for Academic Settings, contributors address some of these complexities and add substance to our understanding of how social workers approach these ways of being, thinking, and acting in our academic environments. While there have been a number of books that develop the transformative approach in social work practice, there is very little on the approach in academic circles. Since transformative approaches are often popular with social work educators, this has created a gap. How do these concepts they play out in academic life? That is, how do these concepts play out not only in the curriculum, but also in how academic social work departments are managed, how academic relationships are maintained outside the classroom, and indeed how academic departments coordinate with professionals and community members outside the university? This book examines the specific ways in which the transformative approach has been implemented in academic settings, from education to administration to research to management and outreach. It brings together an international coterie of social work educators to explore a broader-ranging and more systematic understanding of how a transformative perspective plays out in the whole academic and professional context in which social work education is delivered"--