This special issue entitled, "Ecosocial Work and Social Change in Community Practice," focuses on an array of contexts, policies, practices, and challenges as well as successes related to an emerging vision for ecosocial work. Ecosocial work is social work, with all its depth and breadth, but it approaches the analysis of social problems, issues, and concerns with an ecosocial paradigm or lens, rather than an anthropocentric lens (Matthies & Närhi, 2016). Thus, ecosocial work is not a specialty within social work, rather all social work can, and we argue should, be ecosocial work. The ecosocial lens recognizes the interconnectedness of all life in our ecosystem, and thus, the fair and sustainable use of resources to promote these relationships and the well-being of all. This lens requires us to critically examine and question modern societal structures, values, beliefs, practices, and ways of life that lead to social and ecological injustices through over-consumerism, materialism, anthropocentrism, oppression, and exploitation of people and planet (Boetto, 2017; Coates, 2003; Matthies, Närhi, & Ward, 2001). From this perspective, ecosocial work is inclusive of structural social work in addressing the social structures causing social problems. It, therefore, pays particular attention to the socioeconomic and political structures of a society/community; and, above all, it highlights how neo-liberalization increases inequality and vulnerability in certain communities (Matthies & Närhi, 2016). Ecosocial work encompasses green social work, interprofessional green care practices that bring people into contact with nature, and degrowth perspectives (

Historically, and in modern times, social workers have been culpable in perpetuating the very systems of oppression that we seek to eliminate. This happens as we are part of cultures and economies that operate out of the growth ideology. Acting in accordance with the growth ideology does not lead to the outcomes that we strive for as professional social workers. Rather, the growth ideology results in growing social inequalities and increasing ecological injustices around the world. Social work can, instead, embrace an ecosocial lens and promote degrowth approaches for transformational alternatives. Rather than reinforcing the existing systems of injustice and oppression, radical social work can take an activist role and bring about urgent and radical changes to promote ecological justice through social and ecological well-being. Examples from radical social work in local and international communities demonstrate the possibility of degrowth for transformational alternatives as radical social work practice.

Collective empowerment: A comparative study of community work in Mumbai and Stockholm Mumbai and Stockholm are worlds apart in terms of public services, infrastructures and standard of living. However, both cities have known common problems of social exclusion and marginalisation related to neo-liberal globalisation. Social workers are facing similar challenges regarding collective empowerment as a strategy for community work. This comparative study explored how collective empowerment is undertaken by community workers. The research participants were 13 informants from community-work organisations in the two settings. Semi-structured interviews were used and were analysed with the help of Atlas-ti 6.2 (ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH D-10623 Berlin Germany). Social work in Mumbai is in a context of extreme poverty and mainly within the informal sector, whereas in Stockholm most social work is done in relation to a public welfare model. In Stockholm, interventions are aimed towards strengthening social networks, without direct aim at social change. In Mumbai, community workers organise people for collective empowerment to strengthen marginalised groups and achieve social change.

All around the world the COVID-19 pandemic is having an enormous impact on people’s lives. Contrary to many other countries, Sweden has opted against lockdown. The Swedish Government has put trust in its people and has advised them to be responsible and follow the recommendations and guidelines of the Public Health Agency of Sweden. Using the Interest Theory of Rights, this article discusses the impact of the Swedish response to COVID-19 on three different Swedish communities, and considers the implications of such a strategy on social development. Data was collected from different national and international media sources as well as from Swedish authorities’ websites. A qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data with the help of ATLAS-ti.8.4. The findings section discusses how three community groups in Sweden—the elderly, immigrants from marginalised areas and prisoners—are having their rights altered during this pandemic period. It also outlines different social development approaches being used in Sweden for tackling the challenges relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. This article concludes that a strong democratic state is vital in managing a pandemic such as COVID-19. It also argues that the strength of a state largely depends on its citizens’ willpower to take ownership of responsibilities—both individually and collectively.

Social research carried out through the use of new media technologies can generate large volumes of qualitative data. A systematic and rigorous approach is therefore important in analysing large volumes of qualitative data. Computer-aided qualitative data analysis programmes—such as Atlas-ti 6.2—have managed to facilitate the process of data analysis, to some extent. However, researchers remain central in designing and deciding how the qualitative data gathered as evidence from the field are to be analysed, interpreted, and presented. Within this context, this chapter aims to consider Abductive Thematic Network Analysis (ATNA) with Atlas-ti 6.2 as a systematic way of carrying out qualitative data analysis. A data set from a study on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health is used as an example for facilitating the explanation on the steps in carrying out, and for providing an illustration of the outcome of, ATNA. The objectives of this chapter are to make a brief presentation of abductive approach to social research, describe ATNA, and demonstrate the techniques for such an analysis using Atlas-ti 6.2. The chapter concludes that ATNA can be a useful systematic way to proceed with qualitative data analysis that can be facilitated by the use of Atlas-ti 6.2.

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The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between drug use and sports participation among young people (14-25 years old) living in Mauritius. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire from a stratified sample of young people residing in Mauritius. According to the results, the strongest predictor of reporting drug use was age, recording an odds ratio of 2.50 and showing a positive effect. Drug usage was a negative predictor, meaning that the more use of drug, the less sport activity. In addition, gender predicted the respondents' sports activity. This article concludes that sports can protect young people in Mauritius from getting into drug use, and policy-makers should focus more attention in tackling the gender disparities in sports participation.

During the last few years, there has been a growing concern for environmental justice within international social work. This article connects to such concerns and aims to present and discuss environmental injustices faced by local communities in Mauritius, Peru and Sweden. Primary data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews with a total of 25 key representatives of local communities in the three countries. Secondary materials were combined with the primary data in ATLAS-ti v.8.3 for a deductive critical discourse analysis. The findings describe the substantive, distributive and procedural environmental injustices faced by local communities in the three case studies. The article then considers the implications of the findings for international social work interventions in promoting environmental justice. The article concludes on the need for international social workers to continue their efforts and practices towards achieving environmental justice for all, in promoting global sustainable development.