The ecosocial paradigm in social work : Striving for planetary well-being

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the concept of planetary well-being from the perspective of social work. Social work is a practice-oriented profession and academic discipline that takes many different forms globally. We present an outline of the emerging ecosocial paradigm in social work. This rather new approach attempts to adjust the profession’s core emphasis on social problems of and between human beings, shifting it to a position that puts humanity’s dependence on the natural environment at its centre. The chapter discusses the similarities between the ecosocial paradigm and the concept of planetary well-being. It further asks what added value the concept of planetary well-being might bring to social work ethics as well as social work practice. The chapter concludes that the concept of planetary well-being coincides in many ways with the ecosocial paradigm. In addition to being a useful aid for looking beyond traditional social work ethics and practices, the planetary well-being concept can also help social workers and their clients to reconsider their role regarding the well-being of other species and whole ecosystems.