Review of the book Social Work Theories and Methods, edited by Mel Gray and Stephen Webb

Abstract

Social Work Theories and Methods provides an outline of the contributions made by key theorists, theories, and perspectives that influence social work. A central premise of the text is that social work is an intellectual activity that attempts ‘‘to make sense of human situations’’ (p. 3) and that the thinking that forms the content of the book underpins this effort. A key component of the resources we have at our disposal is the body of social work knowledge that draws on and contributes to social theory. The theorists and their contributions, from competing social science and philosophical traditions, all provide ideas that have application to our thinking about social problems, social work practice, social work education, and policy and service development. While they span many decades in their development, the many perspectives have in common rich conceptual frameworks for addressing current challenges in our profession.