Call for Papers on ERIS Webjournal 1/2015

ERIS WebJournal 1/2015 will be open for texts which focus on Migration across Europe.

Migration across Europe is a contemporary political topic with a huge impact on people’s daily life conditions and prospects for themselves and their families. Hardly a day passes without a headline reporting the diverse, dangerous and often fatal attempts by refugees to enter one of the EU member states. Lampedusa, an Italian island that was previously known for its tourist industry has sadly become an instantly recognisable keyword in debates surrounding the controversial issue of “Fortress Europe”. Social work with its newly agreed and widened definition promotes “social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people.” Furthermore “Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities are central to social work.” (IASSW/IFSW 2014 Melbourne). But how can these principles inform the theories and practice of social workers who are confronted with the reality and impact of migration in Europe today?

Social work needs to find ways to support people and ensure their survival and integration into the larger socio-economic systems at the micro, meso and macro levels of our societies. The field of migration covers a wide spectrum of highly relevant themes and debates including such issues as local community integration projects, diversity aware social work practice and the promotion of a harmonised European Asylum and Migration Strategy.

Within our next issue of the ERIS Web Journal we would like to present texts that have as their focal point the wider issues surrounding migration and social work across Europe. The articles may focus, for example, on:

• scientific research and systematic review of human rights issues relating to migration
• better practice to support members of minority groups and/or asylum seekers
• knowledge for developing social work within the intercultural social work spectrum
• research reports on social work with migrants, asylum seekers, etc.
• reviews on books about migration and social work across Europe

Please send your contribution to the ERIS Web Journal editors before December 31, 2014 and give special attention to the "Guidelines for submission of articles for the European Research Institute for Social Work (ERIS) web journal". All articles will be peer-reviewed by the ERIS Web Journal Editorial Board.

With best wishes

• Peter Erath
• Doris Boehler
• Iva Tichá
  (ERIS office Ostrava)
  e-mail: iva.ticha@osu.cz