Ecosocial Work and Sustainability Transitions: Theories, Methodologies and Practices

by Koen Hermans (Editor), Ingo Stamm (Editor), Aila-Leena Matthies (Editor), Susanne Elsen (Editor)

Overview

Sustainable development and ecosocial work have become one of the most dynamic global debates of the social work profession. How can social work contribute to the sustainability transitions of European societies?

Bringing together a diverse group of researchers from around the world, this book offers an analysis of the main theoretical insights on ecosocial work, the contribution of social work research to transdisciplinary research on sustainability and how social workers can already bring the ecological dimension into their daily practice.

Incorporating new research evidence from the ASTRA project, the wide range of contributors dive deep into the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of ecosocial work, providing valuable insights for researchers, students, activists and practitioners.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781447376101
Publisher:	Policy Press
Publication date:	10/21/2025
Series:	Research in Social Work
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304

About the Author

Koen Hermans is Associate Professor of Social Work and Social Policy, KU Leuven and project leader at LUCAS, Centre for Care Research and Consultancy.

Ingo Stamm is Professor for Social Work and Sustainability at the FH Münster.

Aila-Leena Matthies is Professor of Social Work at the University of Jyväskylä.

Susanne Elsen is Emeritus Professor of Social Sciences at the University of Bolzano.

Table of Contents

Deepening and broadening ecosocial thinking, research and practices: an Introduction - Koen Hermans, Ingo Stamm, Aila-Leena Matthies and Susanne Elsen

Part 1: Theoretical enrichments of ecosocial work

1. Theories of ecosocial work addressing the contribution of social work in sustainability transition - Kati Närhi

2. Social Work in a Post Growth Society - critical encounters with modernity’s ambiguities - Walter Lorenz

3. Social-ecological provisioning as economic social work practice- Jef Peeters

4. Addressing social sustainability in social work research- Kati Närhi, Ingo Stamm, Kati Turtiainen, Rebecca Conway, Eileen Lauster, Atefeh Safarabadi Farahani, Areen Nassar and Jeany Rose Teguihanon

Part 2: Ecosocial transitions and social work research

5. A European ecosocial work research agenda starting from a more radical identity of social work research - Koen Hermans

6. Decolonising social work research and knowledge: transdisciplinary approaches and ecosocial perspectives in practice - Gianinna Munoz Arce

7. The agency of social work in the research of sustainability transitions – a multi-level perspective- Aila-Leena Matthies

Part 3. Ecosocial work practices

8. Perspectives, methodologies, and institutional arrangements for ecosocial transformation in social work - Susanne Elsen, Michael Emru Tadesse, Urban Nothdurfter

9. Social Sustainability and the Crisis of Care. Western European ‘Care Extractivism’ in South East Europe - Svenja Fischbach, University of Ljubljana

10. Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) and Social Work (SW) in Belgium: a joint pathway for sustainable transitions - Nathalie Vallet, Barbara Sak, Athina Moroglou, Yannis Perifanos

11. Unraveling the role of first-line personnel in socioeconomic integration programmes developed by WISEs with an ecological sustainability scope. - Yannis Perifanos, Koen Hermans

12. Exploring Nature-Based Interventions as an Ecosocial Method in Social Work: Insights from Ireland, Finland and Italy - Rebecca Conway, James Kutu Obeng, Areen Nassar, Mattia Mansueto

13. Sustainability, alignment and social work – Amy Shackelford, Eileen Lauster, Atefeh Farahani Safarabadi, Roger Smith

14. From the standpoint water: how water and water justice could push social work further and deeper - Satu Ranta-Tyrkkö, Kris Clarke, Tarja Stenman

Part 4. Concluding Remarks

15. Future directions for ecosocial work - Koen Hermans, Susanne Elsen, Aila-Leena Matthies, Ingo Stamm

Editorial Reviews

A groundbreaking and essential contribution to social work literature, this book bridges theory and practice to redefine the field’s role in the sustainability transition. It’s an invaluable resource for those committed to ecosocial justice.” Helena Belchior Rocha, ISCTE – Instituto Universityário de Lisboa.

From the Publisher