Re-imagining Social Work Ethics: Variations on a Theme

Sarah Banks; Teresa Francesca Bertotti; Maria Irene Carvalho; Mercedes Cuenca; Daria Forlenza; Netanel Gemara; François Gillet; Eva Grabinski; Richard Groothoff; Elizabeth Reimer; Michal Segal

doi:10.1080/17496535.2026.2638818

Re-imagining Social Work Ethics: Variations on a Theme

Sarah Banks
, Teresa Francesca Bertotti
, Maria Irene Carvalho
, Mercedes Cuenca
, Daria Forlenza
, Netanel Gemara
, François Gillet
, Eva Grabinski
, Richard Groothoff
, Elizabeth Reimer
, Michal Segal

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University of Durham
University of Trento
Universidade de Lisboa
University of Alicante
LUMSA University
University of Haifa
HE2B
Carleton University
Amsterdam UMC
Southern Cross University
Tel Hai University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

This article comprises a series of discrete reflections by different authors on the theme of ?re-imagining social work ethics?. It takes its inspiration from a workshop hosted by the Social Work Ethics Research Group (SWERG) in partnership with the Ethics and Social Welfare journal. The authors consider the meaning and motivation of calls to ?re-imagine? social work ethics in the light of current practical, political and philosophical challenges to the western, universalist and anthropocentric values underpinning the profession. They conclude that the process of re-imagining ethics is a necessary and valuable exercise, while challenging to implement in practice.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-13
Number of pages	13
Journal	Ethics and Social Welfare
Volume	20
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/17496535.2026.2638818
Publication status	Published - 15 Apr 2026

Keywords

Re-imagining
post-human ethics
relational ethics
social workethics

Research Focus Areas Hanze University of Applied Sciences * (mandatory by Hanze)

Healthy Ageing

Research Focus Areas Research Centre or Centre of Expertise * (mandatory by Hanze)

Equality of opportunity and participation

Publinova themes

Other
Education and Teaching
People and Society
Health

Access to Document

10.1080/17496535.2026.2638818Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Re-imagining Social Work Ethics: Variations on a Theme",

abstract = "This article comprises a series of discrete reflections by different authors on the theme of ?re-imagining social work ethics?. It takes its inspiration from a workshop hosted by the Social Work Ethics Research Group (SWERG) in partnership with the Ethics and Social Welfare journal. The authors consider the meaning and motivation of calls to ?re-imagine? social work ethics in the light of current practical, political and philosophical challenges to the western, universalist and anthropocentric values underpinning the profession. They conclude that the process of re-imagining ethics is a necessary and valuable exercise, while challenging to implement in practice.",

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doi = "10.1080/17496535.2026.2638818",

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T2 - Variations on a Theme

AU - Banks, Sarah

AU - Bertotti, Teresa Francesca

AU - Carvalho, Maria Irene

AU - Cuenca, Mercedes

AU - Forlenza, Daria

AU - Gemara, Netanel

AU - Gillet, François

AU - Grabinski, Eva

AU - Groothoff, Richard

AU - Reimer, Elizabeth

AU - Segal, Michal

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PY - 2026/4/15

Y1 - 2026/4/15

N2 - This article comprises a series of discrete reflections by different authors on the theme of ?re-imagining social work ethics?. It takes its inspiration from a workshop hosted by the Social Work Ethics Research Group (SWERG) in partnership with the Ethics and Social Welfare journal. The authors consider the meaning and motivation of calls to ?re-imagine? social work ethics in the light of current practical, political and philosophical challenges to the western, universalist and anthropocentric values underpinning the profession. They conclude that the process of re-imagining ethics is a necessary and valuable exercise, while challenging to implement in practice.

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KW - Re-imagining

KW - post-human ethics

KW - relational ethics

KW - social workethics

KW - Herverbeelding

KW - ethiek van het maatschappelijk werk

KW - posthumane ethiek

KW - relationele ethiek

U2 - 10.1080/17496535.2026.2638818

DO - 10.1080/17496535.2026.2638818

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VL - 20

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Re-imagining Social Work Ethics: Variations on a Theme

Abstract

Keywords

Research Focus Areas Hanze University of Applied Sciences * (mandatory by Hanze)

Research Focus Areas Research Centre or Centre of Expertise * (mandatory by Hanze)

Publinova themes

Access to Document

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Cite this