Ethics and Social Welfare

Call for papers!

Special Issue on Narratives of Ethics in Social Welfare and Social Work: Voices from South Asia

Abstract deadline: 28 February 2026
Manuscript deadline: 31 July 2026

More info here: think.taylorandfrancis.com/special_issu....

On The Fence About Dying with Dignity: Social Worker Responses to Assisted Dying in Aotearoa New Zealand The End of Life Choice Act 2019 marked the legalisation of assisted dying (AD) for the terminally ill under certain circumstances in Aotearoa New Zealand (henceforth referred to as Aotearoa). This ...

'On The Fence About Dying with Dignity: Social Worker Responses to Assisted Dying in Aotearoa New Zealand', by Laura Ann Chubb, Georgina Guild, Liz Beddoe & Eileen Joy

doi.org/10.1080/1749...

Trauma-Informed and Healing-Centered Practices in the Context of HIV Cure Research: Some Reflections and Lessons Learned from Durban, South Africa Minimising trauma and distress during qualitative in-depth interviews (IDIs) is an essential ethical responsibility in trauma-related research. However, there is a dearth of literature on how resea...

'Trauma-Informed and Healing-Centered Practices in the Context of HIV Cure Research: Some Reflections and Lessons Learned from Durban, South Africa', by Maud Mthembu, Andiswa Mlotshwa, Nosipho Funeka, Karine Dubé, Jamila K. Stockman & Krista L. Dong

doi.org/10.1080/1749...

In Dialogue with an Ethics Case: Revisiting Issues of Agency and Structure in a Care Home Context This paper comprises a response by Derek Clifford to an article in Ethics and Social Welfare 19 (1): ‘Under the microscope: shifting perspectives on an ethics case in participatory health research ...

In our latest Issue 19(4), we have a series of open access articles that you won't want to miss!

'In dialogue with an ethics case: revisiting issues of agency and structure in a care home context', by Derek Clifford, Marilena von Köppen & Sarah Banks
doi.org/10.1080/1749...

Ethics and Social Welfare Volume 19, Issue 4 of Ethics and Social Welfare

Issue 19 (4) online now. Featuring a series of pieces on research ethics (respectively around HIV cures, with refugees, and in participatory health), plus articles from social work in the digital age to assisted dying. Plus an interview with Manish K. Jha www.tandfonline.com/toc/resw20/1...

Ethics and Social Welfare Volume 19, Issue 2 of Ethics and Social Welfare

Our new issue is live, at www.tandfonline.com/toc/resw20/c.... Open access: 'Slow Ethics in an Age of Fast Technology' (Sarah Banks et al); McAuliffe & Greenslade's 'Updated Inclusive Model of Ethical Decision Making'; and Hu & Mohd Balwi, 'The Development of Ethical Codes for Social Work in China'

At our upcoming symposium, Ajeet Kumar Pankaj @ajeetpankaj.bsky.social from the Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research (IISER) will be presenting 'Ambedkar’s idea of social justice and ethics: community development–pedagogies, practice, and intervention'.

See link in bio to register!

At our upcoming symposium, Nicole Mattocks from Colorado Mesa University will be presenting 'Climate and environmental justice'.

See link in bio to register!

At our upcoming symposium, Carlene Firmin (Durham University, UK) will be presenting 'Handle with care: the struggles to foreground humanity in social work responses to extra-familial harm'
@carlenefirmin.bsky.social

See link in bio to register!

At our upcoming symposium, Rachel Imboden (University of Maryland) will be presenting 'Social workers’ experiences of moral emotion as embedded within personal, interpersonal, and institutional disconnection.'

See link in bio to register!

Keynote: Derek Clifford, founding co-editor of ESW, will be presenting the paper 'Ethics and Social Welfare: Past, Present and future' at our upcoming symposium, that discusses the changing times within which this journal is situated.

Key note: Sarah Banks, Durham University UK, and a founding co-editor of Ethics and Social Welfare, will be presenting the paper 'Practising ethically in a crisis-stricken world: interrogating the ‘care crisis’, at our upcoming symposium.'

This international and interdisciplinary symposium invites those with an interest in the relationship between ethics, social justice and the shifting contexts of social welfare to reflect on this question across the range of relevant perspectives.

Ethics and Social Welfare - April 2025 Symposium A story told with Adobe Express

Join us on 16th April for the ESW one day symposium, 'Shaped by the past, sustaining the future: Ethics and social welfare in an uncertain world'.
See more details below: tinyurl.com/ESW25-EventP...

Can Street-Level Bureaucrats Assist with Material Resources? Naming, Trivializing and Privatizing Economic Abuse in Israel Street Level Bureaucrats’ (SLBs) contribution to social inequality was proposed to be best assessed by combining three analytical approaches: Discretion, Positioning, and Reproduction. Such a tripl...

'Can Street-Level Bureaucrats Assist with Material Reources? Naming, Trivializing and Privatizing Economic Abuse in Israel', by Barzilay, Benjamin,Yassour-Borochowitz & Krigel. On the scope for, and ethics of, dealing with domestic economic exploitation. Up now.

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Democracy Care in the Neoliberal City: The Ambivalent Ethics of Caring in an Uncaring World Suppose an act of caring can be at once good, even admirable, and still help sustain a system that harms people and our shared world. In this paper, I reflect on interviews with street-level bureau...

'While caring is good in a caring society, it is frustrating in an uncaring one.' Markus Holdo's 'Democracy Care in the Neoliberal City' draws on interviews with street-level bureacrats in Sweden in theorising the role of care in making democracy work. Now online: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Shaped by the past sustaining the future: Ethics and social welfare in an uncertain world Ethics and Social Welfare Symposium Date: April 16th, 2025 Time: 10:00 - 17:00 (BST) Event Address: Liverpool John Moore's University Contact us at ethicsandsocialwelfare@outlook.com

Submit proposal here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Call for proposals! There's still time to submit your proposal for the 'Shaped by the past, sustaining the future: Ethics and social welfare in an uncertain world' symposium. Submission deadline: 31st January. See below for more info.

Keynote speakers: Sarah Banks (Durham University, UK) and Derek Clifford (Founding Co-Editor Ethics and Social Welfare)

Shaped by the past, sustaining the future Ethics and social welfare in an uncertain world

Registration is now open for the Ethics and Social Welfare one-day symposium on April 16 at Liverpool John Moore's University. Don’t miss out—check the link below for more details and how to register. Updates coming soon!

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/shaped-by-...

Latest articles from Ethics and Social Welfare Browse the latest articles and research from Ethics and Social Welfare

Our latest issue, with articles on 'authenticity' in social work, ethical issues in pediatric emergency rooms, nursing in Wuhan during COVID, the indirect involvement of children in research, undergraduate approaches to social justice - and more...

www.tandfonline.com/toc/resw20/4?nav=tocList

Great paper and thread by @carlenefirmin.bsky.social the absolute expert in navigating the complexities of responding to extra-familial harm. ⬇️

Binaries and Blurred Lines: The Ethical Stress of Child Protection Social Work in the Grey of Extra-Familial Harm Social care responses to extra-familial harm require social workers to work across the binaries of welfare and justice, victim and perpetrator, parent and professional, risk and protection. This pa...

"Western child protection systems deal in...binaries. They protect *children/victims* from harm caused by *caregivers/perpetrators*...reduce *risk*...increase *protection*"

But addressing extra-familial harm, these binaries blur.

Now online from @carlenefirmin

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Ethics and Social Welfare Volume 18, Issue 3 of Ethics and Social Welfare

Our current issue (18.3) features articles on equality and youth work, the role of autoethnography and heuristics in human sciences research and practice, moral distress among Finnish social workers, and a book review symposium on Michal Krumer-Nevo's Radical Hope www.tandfonline.com/toc/resw20/1...

Like many others we are revising our social media presence, in response to current developments online and politically. As the journal continues to evolve and thrive, we look forward to engaging with our growing audience here.

Welcome!