Social Work History Re-examined – from a Shared History to a Shared Future, No. 2025/11

 

Project No.  2025/11
Project title: „Social WorkHistory Re-examined – from a Shared History to a Shared Future – DAAD“
Project duration: from 2025-10-13 to 2025-11-15
Project coordinator: Rīga Stradiņš University (Latvia)
Other partners: Mykolas Romeris University (Lithuania), Catholic University of Applied Sciences Munich (Germany), Protestant University of Applied Sciences Ludwigsburg (Germany), Tallinn University (Estonia).

Summary: A critical assessment of national history is a key element in the development of democratic institutions and the promotion of social justice. Social work, as a profession that defends vulnerable groups, human rights, and social inclusion, plays an important role in this process. A critical approach to one’s own history is an essential element in the development of democratic institutions and society. Germany and the Baltic states share a common history marked by periods of authoritarian rule, state control of social welfare, and a subsequent transition to democratic governance. These shared experiences provide a basis for a critical comparison of how the history of social work is treated in the educational programs of these regions. The project will begin with a kick-off meeting in February 2025, during which we will launch a study to address questions raised about the similarities and differences between the history of social work in the Baltic States and Germany. The overall objective is to examine Eurocentric models of social work from a local historical perspective in higher education institutions in Germany and the Baltic countries (Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia). Specific objectives: to investigate the methodologies used to take into account local perspectives in the discipline of social work and to disseminate this important academic discourse in the field of social work. This research project is innovative in terms of methods and dialogue between students and teachers in international exchange forums, seminars, and conferences.

The project is innovative in three ways:

1. It brings together teachers and students of different generations from Germany and the Baltic region to examine historical challenges that influence social work today;
2. It creates digital dialogue channels that help overcome language and distance barriers;
3. It takes a long-term perspective to identify factors that can further promote social work as a profession oriented towards human rights, justice, and peace building.

 

The project is funded by the Baltic-German University Liaison Office.