The Research Network

Our network of university partners is committed to exchange and communication across participating countries for the promotion of global social work education (including fieldwork) and the recognition of best examples of innovative and transformative social work research and practice. The diversity of the Nordic-Baltic region comes with a diversity of issues that are central to social work. The members of our research network are particularly interested in sharing ideas, discussing, and developing social work with the following issues:

Fields of Practice in Education

The fields of practice in education vary from children, youth and ageing to poverty, unemployment and dissability issues.

  • Children and families: Natalie Joubert (Finland), Anastasia Karpunina (Russia), Ingo Stamm (Germany, Finland), Virpi Lund (Finland), Ulrika Järkestig-Berggren (Sweden)
  • Youth: Stefan Bormann (Germany)
  • Ageing: Janet Anand (Finland), Reeli Sirotkina (Estonia), Emme-Li Vingare (Sweden)
  • Migration and Integration: Natalie Joubert (Finland) , Virpi Lund (Finland), Guðbjörg Ottósdóttir (Iceland), Janet Carter Anand (Finland), Chaitali Das (Germany)
  • Poverty & Unemployment: Ingo Stamm (Germany/Finland), Guðbjörg Ottósdóttir (Iceland)
  • Disabilities: Anastasia Karpunina (Russia), Ulrika Järkestig-Berggren (Sweden), Guðbjörg Ottósdóttir (Iceland)
  • Environmental issues: Ingo Stamm (Germany/Finland)
  • Resistance in social work: Chaitali Das (Germany), Janet Carter Anand (Finland)

Methods

The Nordic Baltic region not only has a history of diverse pedagogical methodologies but is also keen to develop and adapt other methodologies to address the various issues that are of increasing urgency and require adapted responses. This networks boasts of members that cover a variety of praxis as well as research methodologies that have a direct impact in practice and in social work education and research.

  • Community Development: Virpi Lund (Finland), Chaitali Das (Germany)
  • Mediation: Reeli Sirotkina (Estonia)
  • Practice Research and Co-creation: Janet Anand (Finland), Lynette Joubert (Australia)
  • Co-creation, Social Entrepreneurship, Social Marketing : Janet Carter Anand (Finland) , Chaitali Das (Germany), Natalie Joubert (Denmark)
  • Virtual Reality: Anastasia Karpunina (Russia)
  • Social Pedagogy and Digitalisation: Aleksander Mihailovich Fedorov (Russia)
  • Qualitative methods including Narrative and Biographical methods: Ingo Stamm (Finland/Germany) , Guðbjörg Ottósdóttir, (Iceland)

Professional Social Work

The arguments and debates around professional social work and ascertaining the future directions of social work remain key issues of discussion in the Nordic Baltic region. Our members are interested in further discussion the following:

  • Diverse social professions, welfare systems and transnational professionals: Reeli Sirotkina (Estonia) , Chaitali Das (Germany), Guðbjörg Ottósdóttir (Iceland)
  • Multicultural social work, Cultural Competence: Natalie Joubert (Finland), Guðbjörg Ottósdóttir (Iceland), Janet Anand (Finland)
  • Service User Involvement: Natalie Joubert (Finland)
  • Boundaries in Relationships: Anastasia Karpunina (Russia), Chaitali Das (Germany)
  • Global-regional-local dimensions: Alexander M. Fedorov (Russia) , Janet Anand (Finland) , Chaitali Das (Germany)
  • Statutory and non-statutory social work - international expertise, sharing best practices in social entrepreneurship-two-way exchange (social model for business): Janet Anand (Finland)
  • Human Rights: Ingo Stamm (Finland/Germany)
  • Decolonising Social Work: Chaitali Das (Germany), Janet Carter Anand (Finland)