Responding to the ecological crisis: transformative pathways for social work education

Abstract

The nature and extent of the current ecological crisis raises the question: Does social work have a contribution to make in addressing the social and environmental changes required if we are to move toward a sustainable future? Given the links between the traditional concerns of social work and the emerging concerns of environmental and ecological justice, there is a strong argument to be made for expanding the ecological orientation of social work to include the nonhuman world. Transformative learning theory provides a model for how such a shift might be facilitated within social work education, emphasizing a focus on reflection, dialogue, and action.