Introducing ‘society work’: The professionalization and localization of Chinese social work in a new era

Abstract

This study focuses on current discussions around the newly-built Society Work Department in China. It argues that ‘society work’ helps to clarify the internationally recognized concept of ‘social work’ and this institutional reform promotes development of the social work profession and discipline, it also helps to decolonize social work in China.

Keywords

Anti-colonial Chinese social work international social work localization society work

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Coates

Gray

Hetherington

(2006) An ‘ecospiritual’ perspective: Finally, a place for indigenous approaches. The British Journal of Social Work 36(3): 381–399.

Feng

Wei

(2024) Anchoring the orientation of society work in the new era. Chinese Social Science Today, 24 December, p. 3.

Gray

(2008) Some considerations on the debate on social work in China: Who speaks for whom? International Journal of Social Welfare 17(4): 400–406.

Guan

Zhang

(2025) The basic principles and paths for constructing an independent knowledge system for China’s social work. Journal of Social Work (in Chinese). 01(316): 18–24; 152–153 (in Chinese).

(2024) The three integration of centralization and decentralization in society work. Chinese Social Science Today, 24 December, p. 3.

Lei

Luo

Wang

(2022) Validating a model for indicating the professionalisation of social work in China. Journal of Social Work 22(3): 758–778.

Lin

(2022) Social work indigenization in Mainland China: Towards a state-led decolonizing framework. Journal of Social Work 22(1): 188–210.

Meng

Gray

Bradt

, et al. (2022) A critical review of Chinese and international social work: Walking a tightrope between local and global standards. International Social Work 65(6): 1301–1313.

Society Work Department of the CPC Central Committee (2024) Introduction to the department. Available at: https://www.zyshgzb.gov.cn/index.html (accessed 10 October 2024).

10.

Tsui

Yan

(2010) Developing social work in developing countries: Experiences in the Asia Pacific region. International Social Work 53(3): 307–310.

11.

Wang

(2013) Different interpretations of social work in China: A comparative analysis. Chinese Education and Society 46(6): 7–15.

12.

Wang

(2024) Understanding she-hui-gong-zuo: Social work or society work. China Social Work 31: 6 (in Chinese).

13.

(2023) Re-thinking social work under the new situation. China Social Work 25: 24–25 (in Chinese).

14.

Cui

(2022) Snapshot of social work in China: Outcomes of stakeholder competition. The British Journal of Social Work 52(1): 198–216.

15.

Yan

Tsui

(2007) The quest for Western social work knowledge: Literature in the United States and practice in China. International Social Work 50(5): 641–653.

16.

Yuen-Tsang

AWK

Wang

(2008) Revitalization of social work in China: The significance of human agency in institutional transformation and structural change. China Journal of Social Work 1(1): 5–22.