Call for Proposals
Special Issue 2009
The deadline for submission of abstract proposals for a special issue to be guest edited by Jackie Rafferty and Jan Steyaert, is now closed.
The special issue has a proposed publication date of October 2009, and will be devoted to Social Work and the Information Society.
Articles may potentially address the following themes:
Social inclusion, social exclusion and the digital divide:
The arrival of the information society created concerns of a new social divide between the information-haves and information-have-nots. Yet there is some evidence that technology could be a ‘digital bridge’ and reduce social exclusion.
The learning professional:
The information and knowledge landscape of social work professionals has changed dramatically in the last five years with the advent of easily searchable full texts online. What is the impact of these changes on ‘forms of knowledge and knowledge sharing in social work’? Is there a new kind of ‘reflexive practitioner’? What kind of ‘informacy’ skill set will the 2010 social work practitioner need?
Intelligence, accountability and quality monitoring:
Growth in monitoring and accountability has increased the need for information management systems within agencies and intra-agency. Is the potential for better informed policy making through data mining being realized?
Independent living:
Social workers and other caring professionals play an important intermediary role between users who can benefit from assistive technologies and the available technology. It is important to note that an impairment becomes a disability only if the environment is not designed for accessibility; much new technology is ‘designed to exclude’. Yet technology can be an enabler by promoting virtual mobility, delivering smart homes and offering alternative communication channels.
For further information about this forthcoming special issue, contact the guest editors:
Jackie Rafferty
School of Social Sciences
University of Southampton
SOUTHAMPTON SO1 1BJ
Tel: +44-23-8059.2925
j.rafferty@soton.ac.uk
Jan Steyaert
School of Social Studies
Fontys University of Applied Sciences
Eindhoven, the Netherlands
Tel. +31-6-502.42.296
J.Steyaert@fontys.nl