Political Engagement, Social movements and Social Work: Discussing realities in Greece and German speaking countries

Uhrzeit/ time: 17:00 - 19:00 Uhr/ 5 - 7pm

Format: online

Veranstaltungssprache/ language: Englisch/ English

Beschreibung/ description:

The entire event will discuss the link between political participation, social movements and social work using examples from Greece and German-speaking countries. The event intends to reflect on the (political) role of social work practice at the forefront, especially in times of ongoing multilayered “crises”. The event calls social workers to politically analyze structural problems and oppressive policies, with which social work is confronted, and act against them.

More precisely, Teloni Dimitra Dora will present and discuss critically social workers’ role in the so-called “refugee crisis” based on recent research in the field, in the context of the hostile policies against refugees and migrants in Greece and Europe. She will also elaborate on the interconnection of social work with the social and antiracist movements with regard to the role of social workers as human rights defenders in times of continuing “crises. (Title:  Front-line’ Social Work with refugees and Social Movements)

Dimosthenis Papadatos-Anagnostopoulos, will discuss the interplay between the externalization/securitization of migration in Europe, and the privatization of the Greek national health system through several EU-funded multi-actor projects, in the context of a refugee reception crisis framed as an “emergency”. (Title: The refugee reception crisis in Greece (2015-2019): a health policy perspective)

Lefkothea Rizopoulou would describe the advocacy plan the social workers of a shelter of unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors had to implement, in order to ensure minors’ fundamental right to free public health care. In the summer of 2019, the right to health -among other rights- was violated, as the abolition of the Social Security number for asylum seekers excluded their access to public health services. (Title: "Social Work in Accommodation Facilities for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Minors": multi-level challenges, Advocacy and Demands)

Tobias Kindler will present findings of a study on social workers’ policy engagement in Switzerland. The purpose of this research was to examine why and how social workers participate in shaping, changing, and opposing policies. One of the main influencing factors on the political activity of social workers identified in this study was the membership in mobilization networks, such as professional associations of social work, radical/radical social work groups, or trade unions. In his presentation, Tobias will discuss implications of this result for social work education, practice, and research.

organised and moderated by Anja Neuner, DBSH member, and her fellow student, Lefkothea Rizopoulou