Professional Social Work: Revisiting the Past and Envisioning the Future in India

Abstract

Unlike law, medicine and nursing, social work in India neither enjoys professional recognitionnor has a professional council to regulate and popularize the profession. The reason for this isexplained through the following analysis which reveals the contestations that exists betweendivergent camps dealing with social work. The author urges the social workers to shed theirideological differences and come to a mutual consensus to promote social work within thehuman rights and development paradigm. It is acknowledged that both micro and macro socialwork methods are relevant within the emerging paradigm. A four-pointproposal that can buildan acceptable consensus between the competing camps is proposed. This article is expected tohelp these youngprofessionals and educators to identify the pertinent issues that are importantfor social work in India.