The Current Status of Social Work Science and Research: A Review of the Literature and Its Implications for Post-Soviet Countries

Abstract

This paper offers a review of the major literature about the modern status of social work as a science within the American and European contexts and its implications for post-Soviet countries where social work is an emerging profession. It identifies the most appropriate types of social work research (e.g. translational research) that can be used for bridging the science and service communities to directly affect the provision of services across different social work sectors. It also provides historical analysis of the various organizations within European and American social work to show their pivotal role in improving the scope and quality of social work research and consequently, social work as a science. And finally it suggests ways of increasing visibility of social work as science in post-Soviet countries through development of sound social work doctoral programs.