1. Conceptual and historical analysis of ecological social work
Kati Närhi and Aila-Leena Matthies
University of Jyväskylä
Finland
World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development, 9-12 July, Melbourne, Australia

2. Research design
The paper analyses the diverse theoretical conceptualizations of ecological social work
The focus lies on the understanding
the concept of environment in SW
the task of SW regarding environmental issues
Based on content-analysing and meta-analysing of the existing literature of Western SW traditions concerning various lines of ecological social work.
Will be published in a forthcoming book edited by McKinnon/Alston: Ecological Social Work towards Sustainability (2015) Palgrave MacMillan

3. Theory-historical development of ecological social work

4. Comparing the historical lines
Dimensions of comparison
Mary Richmond ( )
Jane Addams ( )
Concept of environment
Social environment
Urban environment as modern conditions of life
Focus of social work in relation to the environment
Adjustments of human and social environment, changing bad environment to another
Collective actions to improve living social, physical, cultural, economic environment
Systems theoretical thinking in SW (1970-)
Eco-critical perspective in SW (1980-)
Abstract systems environment or social environment
Natural environment, nature in Crisis, holistic living environment
Solution/strategy
A strategy of adaptation;
non-political stance
balance between ecological, economic and social development; political change

5.  Current debate
Main emphasis
Common
Eco-social
approach
Umbrella concept; human welfare dependent on environment; social sustainability
 • Continuing the eco-critical tradition of ecological SW
• Back to the political tradition of SW by Jane Addams
• Challenging mainstream SW and demanding new eco-social paradigm and transition of society
• Thinking in a global perspective, creating actions in local communities
• Regarding humans as part of nature
Deep ecolog. SW
Deep environmental justice, criticism of anthropocentric human-nature relationship
Eco-spirit. SW
Humans as a part of nature, spirituality in SW’s understanding of nature and action
Green SW
Practice to protect the environment and people’s well-being; traditions of radical SW
Environmental SW
Seeking a new SW paradigm according to the criteria of sustainable development
Social ecological SW
Uniting systems theory and eco-critical stance; eco-social transition of communities

6. Conclusions
Ecological paradigm is not new in SW but a shared historical continuity of ecological theory in SW can be identified:
Importance of environment in Richmond’s and Addams’s thinking
Seeking balance in the relationship between human and the environment in systems theoretical and eco-critical perspectives
Human as a part of the nature in the current debates
Today a radicalisation of this paradigm is essential and can be promoted with a theoretical clarity and politization of the concept of nature:
- SW itself is part of the industrial economic model destroying both the inner wild nature of humans and the natural resources of the earth
SW can contribute to the eco-social transition of societies and de-growth models with the knowledge and practices of social sustainability
To bridge the huge gap between the mainstream case work of the majority of SW and the ecological paradigm by combining:
the systems theoretical holistic view of human as a part of environment
the practical steps of eco-social transition of local communities

7. Main literature:
Addams, Jane (1910) Twenty Years at Hull House, with autobiographical notes. Re-published Whitefish: Kessinger Publishing.
Besthorn, Fred (2003) Radical Ecologisms: Insights for educating social workers in ecological activism and social justice. Critical social work 3(1),
Besthorn, Fred (2011) Deep Ecology’s contributions to social work: A ten-year retrospective. International Journal of Social Welfare 21(3),
Besthorn, Fred (2012) Radical equalitarian ecological justice: A social work call to action. In Gray, Mel & Coates, John & Hetherington, Tiani (toim.) Environmental Social work. New York: Routledge,
Coates, John (2003) Ecology and Social Work: Toward a New Paradigm. Halifax, NS: Fernwood Press.
Coates, John, Gray, Mel & Hetherington, Tiani (2006) An ‘Ecospiritual’ Perspective: Finally, a Place for Indigenous Approaches. British Journal of Social Work 36(3), 381–399.
Dominelli, Lena (2012) Green Social Work. From Environmental Crises to Environmental Justice. Cambridge: Polity.
Gray, Mel & Coates, John & Hetherington, Tiani (eds.) (2012) Environmental Social work. New York: Routledge.
Gray, Mel (2002) Viewing Spirituality in Social Work through the Lens of Contemporary Social Theory. British Journal of Social Work 38, 175–196.
Gray, Mel and Coates, John (2013) Changing values and valuing change: Towards an ecospiritual perspective in social work. International Social Work 56(3)
Matthies, Aila-Leena, Närhi, Kati & Ward, Dave (eds.) (2001) The Eco-social Approach to Social Work, Jyväskylä: Sophi.

8. Main literature:
Molyneux, Rebecca (2010) The Practical Realities of Ecosocial Work: Review of the Literature. Critical social work 11(2), 1−8.
Närhi, Kati & Matthies, Aila-Leena (2001) What is the ecological (self)consciousness of social work? Perspectives on the relationship between social work and ecology, in Matthies, Aila-Leena, Närhi, Kati & Ward, Dave (eds.) Eco-social Approach in Social Work. Jyväskylä: Sophi,
Närhi, Kati (2004) The eco-social Approach in Social Work and the Challenges to the Expertise of Social Work. Jyväskylä Studies in Education, Psychology and Social Research 243. Jyväskylä: University of Jyväskylä.
Opielka, Michael (1985) Die Ökologische Sozialpolitik. In Opielka Michael (ed.) Die Ökosoziale Frage. Frankfurt: Fischer Taschenbuch, 282−309.
Peeters, Jef (2012a) The place of social work in sustainable development: Towards ecosocial practice. International Journal of Social Welfare 21(3),
Peeters, Jef (2012b) Social work and sustainable development: towards a social - ecological practice model. Journal of Social Intervention: Theory and Practice 21(3), 5–26.
Probst, Barbara (2013) Living with and living within: Visions of 'environment' in contemporary social work. Qualitative Social Work Vol 12 (5),
Richmond, E. Mary (1917) Social Diagnosis. Philadelphia: Russel Sage Foundation. Reprinted 1964.
Richmond, E. Mary (1922) What is Social Case Work? An Introductory Description. NewYork: Russel Sage Foundation. Reprinted 1939.