ADVERTISEMENT FOR RESEARCH FELLOW IN SOCIAL AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN A GLOBALISING WORLD
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WORK STUDIES
The Centre for International Social and Community Development
(CISCODEV) in the Department of Social Work Studies at the University
of Southampton has engaged in research that examines the changing
nature of social work (in its broadest sense) in a globalising world. Its
current programme of work covers both the UK and countries overseas
and is attempting to develop new models of theory and practice that
respond to the needs of communities, groups and individuals for self-
empowerment. It also seeks to influence policymakers, particularly in
relation to policies that impact on practice. CISCODEV’s current
research projects focus on the impact of globalisation and privatisation
of the welfare state on social work practice, the experiences of asylum
seekers in Britain and Canada, and young mothers in care. CISCODEV
requires a Research Fellow who is keen to contribute to establishing
CISCODEV as a major centre of excellence in research and development
for policies and practice. The person who will be appointed will be
expected to take major responsibility in working on a project Community
Revitalisation in a Changing World. S/he will have a PhD in this theme
or in a related subject or published in relevant areas. S/he must be
willing to work with academic colleagues and practitioners in all regions
of the world, assist in the development of theory innovations and
paradigms for professional practice, disseminate high quality research
findings including publishing in reputable journals, undertake occasional
teaching and apply for additional research funding.
Funding for the post is available for two years full-time in the first
instance on the salary scale £20,465 to £25,213. Additional funding for
a further period will be sought.
For further information, contact Professor Dominelli on 01703 593054
or by e-mail on [log in to unmask]
The deadline for the receipt of applications is 21 September 2001.
Interviews will take place on 12 October 2001.
FURTHER PARTICULARS FOR RESEARCH FELLOW IN
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN A
GLOBALISING WORLD FOR THE CENTRE FOR
INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
The Centre for International Social and Community Development
(CISCODEV) in the Department of Social Work Studies was been
established by the University of Southampton in 1998. It is directed by
Professor Lena Dominelli. CISCODEV’s aim is to develop as a centre
of excellence on the theme of globalisation and its impact on social work
(in its broadest sense) practice. Globalisation is seen as a force that has
had profound changes in the everday routines of life at the personal,
institutional and cultural levels in societies through out the world. The
experiences of globalisation by individuals and groups have raised new
questions for research, policy, professional practice and user groups.
CISCODEV is interested in exploring these through sustained research
activities that will impact on policy and professional practice with
individuals, groups and communities.
CISCODEV is intended to be a multi-disciplinary centre in which
theories from sociology, social policy, politics and economics are used
to develop theoretical insights into social work practice (interpreted
broadly) and from these work with users in the community to map the
impact of globalisation on professional practice; understand the racially
stratified and gendered community responses to increasing levels of
poverty and crime in working class communities; and assist in the
formulation of new paradigms for professional practice.
The current programme of work has included the following funded
projects:
ChildAbuse, Protection and Welfare: International Perspectives
YoungMothers with Children in Care
Globalisation,Privatisation and Social Work Practice
TheBoat-People: Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers in Canada
RacialHarassment in the lives of Refugees and Asylum Seekers in
Britain
ConnectingCommunities: Mapping Interventions in Wecock and
Rowner
Findings emanating from this work have resulted in publications,
conferences and seminars which have been central to its dissemination
strategy and in bringing together policymakers, practitioners, users and
academics.
Additionally, CISCODEV hosts overseas visitors to the Department and
has been involved in exchanging students, practitioners and policymakers
in countries overseas. And it runs a seminar series entitled, Rethinking
Social Work.
Research Fellow in Social and Community Development in a
Globalising World
The existing programme of work indicates that social work practice has
undergone substantial social changes in the past decade. Some of these
have been driven by users’ demands, particularly those articulated by
women, black people, people with disabilities and community activists,
that state supported social services respond more appropriately to their
needs. Another force of change has been globalisation with its attendant
privatisation of the welfare state and promotion of non-statutory
provisions based on notions of individual self-sufficiency and family
responsibility. A third source of change has been the determination of
successive governments to cut public expenditures and alter the
relationships between individuals and the welfare state.
A new project entitled Revitalising Communities in a Globalising
World is the one to which the successful applicant would be attached.
This project seeks to bring together work associated with the Connecting
Communities and the Globalisation, Privatisation and Social Work
Practice projects. It is intended to explore these developments by
beginning to map professional interventions in two specific local
communities and later extend its methodologies to communities
elsewhere. Thus, in the second year of the appointment, the researcher
would focus on the processes through which change in communities and
professional practice occurs and is responded to in other parts of the
country and/or world through a series of linked projects examining the
impact of globalisation on professional social work and community
practice. The aim of this work would be to draw comparisons around
what is happening to social work and community practice in the UK,
other countries in the industrialised West, and a range of other countries
in the rest of the world, such as those engaged in the ‘tiger economies’ of
the East, the grassroots based developments in Latin America and
structural adjustment programmes in Africa. In each of these areas,
social work has been subjected to a different mix of pressures and
responded in different ways, ranging from interventions which centre
around responding to individuals to those aimed at structural changes and
transformations in the social sphere. These have increased the diversity
of social work and community practice and augmented moves towards
the ‘indigenisation’ of social work, that is, initiatives aimed at reducing
the influence of Western models of social work practice with individuals
and communities. These developments have raised substantial questions
for social work as an academic discipline that is looking at survival in
tertiary level settings in the new millennium and as a form of practice
that purports to support an individual’s well-being and community
development and growth. How are social and community workers
responding to ‘client’ demands in the context of resource shortages and
the need for greater professional accountability? How does the
withdrawal of the state from direct provision of services impact on
practitioners’ conditions of work and in their practice? How can users be
empowered to take more control of their lives? How can social and
community development contribute to revitalising communities at the
local, national and international levels? These are amongst the questions
which CISCODEV’s programme of work is intended to examine. The
research fellow currently being sought will focus primarily on the last
question.
The successful applicant is required to: undertake independent research
under minimal supervision; work collaboratively with project members,
whether in the UK or overseas; contribute to the general activities of
CISCODEV; disseminate and publish project findings in reputable
journals and other outlets; organise conferences; present occasional
lectures; and seek additional funding for the continuation of the project.
S/he is likely to have a PhD or have published in this subject or related
areas.
CISCODEV’s website is: www.ciscodev.soton.ac.uk
JOB DESCRIPTION FOR RESEARCH FELLOW IN SOCIAL AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN A GLOBALISING WORLD
The research fellow will be required to:
undertakeindependent research under minimal supervision;
workcollaboratively with project members, whether in the UK or
overseas;
contributeto the general activities of CISCODEV;
sustainand build upon CISCODEV links and networks locally,
nationally and overseas;
disseminateand publish project findings in reputable journals and
other outlets;
organiseconferences as necessary;
hostvisitors to CISCODEV;
writereports as necessary
presentresearch findings at conferences locally, nationally and
internationally;
giveoccasional lectures and/or seminars including to colleagues and
students; and
seekadditional funding for the continuation of the project from
ESRC, EU. JRF and other sources.
The research fellow will be expected to have the knowledge and skills
necessary for these tasks. S/he will be responsible to Professor Lena
Dominelli as Director of the Centre for International Social and
Community Development (CISCODEV). The research fellow will be
appraised on her/his performance annually.
Person Specifications for the Research Fellow in Social and
Community Development in a Globalising World
Essential
The person appointed will be required to meet the following
requirements:
Abilityto work independently on agreed programme of work
Knowledgeof qualitative and quantitative research methodologies
Abilityto use computer-based information technologies
Abilityto communicate with people from different walks of life
Abilityto work effectively and collaboratively with others including
user groups, practitioners, policymakers, and academic colleagues
Fundedresearch experience
Qualitypublications
PhD
Desirable
Familiarwith use of SPSS and similar analytical software packages
Communityorganising skills
Conferenceorganising skills
Fund-raisingskills
Researchin countries other than the UK
Knowledgeof languages other than English, particularly minority
languages
Professor Lena Dominelli, Ph D
President, the International Association of Schools of Social Work
Academician, the Academy of the Learned Societies for the Social Sciences
Director, Centre for International Social and Community Development
Department of Social Work Studies
The University of Southampton
Southampton SO17 1BJ
England
Tel: 44 + (0)2380 - 593054
Fax: 44 + (0)2380 - 594800
Email: [log in to unmask]
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