China Journal of Social Work

Today is World Social Work Day! The China Journal of Social Work wishes everyone a wonderful celebration. The theme for this year is “Co-Building Hope and Harmony: A Harambee Call to Unite a Divided Society”. This theme emphasises the vital role social work plays in bringing people together across different communities, cultures, and systems to collectively shape a more inclusive and sustainable future.

In recent years, the journal has published numerous articles exploring various pathways to bridging social divides, enhancing community resilience, and promoting sustainable development. To mark this occasion, we are delighted to share these works with you. The articles listed below are freely accessible. You can read the full articles by clicking on the links. Finally, we wish you all a wonderful World Social Work Day once again!

Theory and practice of Social Work of Reconciliation (SWR) in building inclusive communities in Hong Kong
Hok-Bun Ku
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2025.2489827
Abstract: We live in the age of disaster and conflict, the social work profession must think about how to respond. Using the approach of practice research, the author collaborated with a local faith-based social work organisation for approximately eight years, gradually developing a framework of social work of reconciliation (SWR) within the practice process. The framework now guides the service design for the organisation. In this article, the author will first introduce the framework of SWR and then use the case of this organisation, in which he was involved from 2010 to 2022, to illustrate how the organization was guided by the framework of SWR to provide services that intend to repair the cracks and restore the broken relationships between people and people, people and self, and people and nature, to jointly build inclusive communities that embrace justice, equality, social cohesion, peace and harmony.
Published in Volume 17, Issue 3

Disasters and the need for Glocal Social Work
Panagiotis Pentaris
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2026.2627922
Abstract: As climate change intensifies the risks of extreme weather conditions, the likelihood of disasters also increases. Under those circumstances, societies need to explore the degree to which they are prepared to respond to them and mitigate the potential risks from such events. Approximately 60,000 deaths are recorded during disasters annually, while millions of people are displaced, and the economic impact on infrastructures and community services is tremendous. This paper draws on these facts and argues that as the prevalence of disasters and their impact increase, social work skills and knowledge must advance to adequately and effectively respond to the needs of individuals and communities. The paper argues the need for Glocal Social Work, which considers global phenomena and circumstances regarding disasters but finds suitable methods to apply this knowledge to local communities and respond directly to the populations affected.
Advance online publication

The new roles of the community practitioner in promoting community governance: the emergence-based approach practice
Orna Shemer & Hagai Agmon-Snir
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2025.2459396
Abstract: Community governance is the right of residents to have a say in their lives and the belief that they can do so. Based on a literature review and professional field experience, this article focuses on the roles of community practitioners who use an emergence-based approach to support community governance and introduce an innovative approach to community practice in the 21st Century. The article begins by explaining the key changes that inspired this approach. While the traditional outcomes-based approach (OBA) focuses on community analysis and planning, the emergence-based approach (EBA) recognises that communities are complex systems with limited capacity to analyse and plan their future. To implement the EBA, three roles are presented: probing, engaging and “Doula”. These roles together constitute the “community flywheel”, which enables the growth of community governance initiatives through all community stakeholders. A combined model of the OBA and EBA is suggested to promote community governance processes governance processes effectively.
Published in Volume 17, Issue 3

Implementing bottom-up practices with top-down identities: the processes and strategies for renovating community spaces
Yu Xiang & Guanghuai Zheng
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2026.2622662
Abstract: Community space renovation is a core topic in community social work; however, the mainstream top-down construction model often suffers from insufficient local characteristics, limited resident participation, and neglect of its social and political aspects. Taking a social work team’s renovation practice as an example, this study proposes an alternative path: practitioners leverage their top-down identities to promote bottom-up practices. It further analyses three action strategies: community orientation, social network utilisation, and participatory empowerment. The study argues that despite China’s persistent strong state/weak society structure, government-supported practitioners still have room to adopt bottom-up approaches in community development through their own choices and actions.
Advance online publication

Supporting older people coping in a digital society: comparing case studies in China and Finland
Qingyun Fan
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2023.2214401
Abstract: The use of information and communication technology (ICT) can enrich interactions and improve the quality of life of older people. However, some of them will face difficulties in dealing with digital technologies. Finland and China have conducted several projects coaching older people in using ICT. This article compares the different ways these social services are organised and maintained in two local projects. The data for this comparative case study were collected through participant observation and separate focus group interviews with three groups: older people, practitioners and volunteers. Despite enormous historical and cultural differences, the social service projects share similarities as multisectoral services. Support from the public sector and effectiveness in mobilising volunteers are the core reasons for the smooth implementation of these services. The results of this study may inform approaches to further social services that seek to improve the well-being of older people through ICT.
Published in Volume 16, Issue 2

The Editorial Board and International Advisory Board members of the China Journal of Social Work have recently selected the Best Articles of 2023 and 2024.

The Best Article of 2023 is “Developing a natural language-based AI-chatbot for social work training: an illustrative case study” (Vol. 16, No. 2), and the Best Article of 2024 is “Unveiling Hong Kong’s mental health preferences: insights from survey experiment towards precision care” (Vol. 17, No. 2).

The authors of both award-winning articles will each receive a prize of USD 400. You may click the links below to read the full text for free.

“Developing a natural language-based AI-chatbot for social work training: an illustrative case study” was co-authored by Chitat Chan and Feng Li. This study focuses on social work training in a Chinese context and adopts an illustrative case study design to successfully develop a chatbot based on large-scale generative pretrained transformers (LGPTs). The chatbot is capable of engaging in natural conversations with users and helps students effectively practice core skills such as clarification, open-ended questioning, and summarisation. This research overcomes the limitations of traditional retrieval-based chatbots, whose conversations were often rigid and lacked flexibility, and fills the gap in the application of generative AI for social work training in Chinese contexts.

Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2023.2176901

“Unveiling Hong Kong’s mental health preferences: insights from survey experiment towards precision care” was co-authored by Juan Chen, Luqi Yuan, Siqin Kong, Bo Li, and Dicky Chow. Grounded in the discourse on precision mental health (PMH), this study employed discrete choice experiments with 1,006 Hong Kong residents to analyse their preferences for mental health services. Mixed logit regression and sub-group analyses were used to identify individual and group variations in service preferences. The results highlight a strong preference for services that offer prompt access, affordability, and professional endorsement. Familial contexts and psychological stress levels were found to significantly influence service choices. This study underscores the diverse nature of service preferences among Chinese adults in Hong Kong and provides important insights for optimising mental healthcare delivery in the local context.

Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2024.2423950

The 18.1 issue of the China Journal of Social Work is published online. This is a special issue titled “Professionalisation of social work in Asia”. It aims to explore the evolution of professionalisation of social work in Asia and discuss the dynamic interplay between global influences and local realities. It includes the examples in China, Kyrgyzstan and Thailand. We would like to share the abstracts of the articles. You may access the full version of the editorial by clicking the link.

This special issue was edited by our editors, Prof. Crystal KWAN and Prof. Hok Bun KU from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The first article traces the historical development of social work education in Thailand, emphasising the interplay between indigenous charitable traditions and Western influences since the 1950s. The second study analyses the distinctive features of social work development in Kyrgyzstan, shaped by its historical and cultural heritage alongside international modelling. The third article advocates increased use of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to rigorously evaluate the effectiveness of social work practice in China. The final article finds that professionally educated Chinese social workers, particularly those with higher degrees, exhibit paradoxically heightened turnover intentions.

Editorial
Professionalisation of social work in Asia: the push and pull of global and local influences
Crystal KWAN & Hok Bun KU
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2025.2542611

Articles
A historical perspective on social work education in Thailand
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2025.2459901
Written by Kritsada THEERAKOSONPHONG, Auschala CHALAYONNAVIN & Pred EVANS
Abstract: This article explores the historical context of social work education in Thailand, emphasising the interaction between modern Western welfare systems and the foundations of this relationship in the charitable approach of traditional Thai culture. This article utilises a historical perspective and various sources of documents. The United Nations agencies offered technical assistance by establishing a Social Work Training Institute programme at the National Institute of Culture in the 1950s. The government of Thailand thereby integrated social work into the national development agenda. Seven decades ago, the Faculty of Social Administration at Thammasat University was founded as the first university-level institution in Thailand. Although Thailand’s religious and cultural context significantly influences social work education, it is crucial to understand its welfare regimes through a political and historical lens. This highlights the diversity of welfare regimes as opposed to a single universal framework for professional standards.
Keywords: Social work education in Thailand; historical context of social work education; Faculty of Social Administration at Thammasat University; history of social work; social work

Features of the development of social work in Kyrgyzstan: cultural and historical factors, current trends and key directions
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2025.2513883
Written by Musaeva Nurgul KUSEYINOVNA, Shailoоbek Kyzy AISULUU & Tentigenova Asel IBIRAIMOVNA
Abstract: Social work in Kyrgyzstan is closely connected to the historical and cultural heritage of the Kyrgyz people. At the same time, it is influenced by international approaches, which contribute to the formation of current trends and directions for development. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate how historical and cultural background, as well as foreign experiences, have influenced social work in Kyrgyzstan. Understanding the cultural context is essential for integrating traditional values into modern models of social work and for adapting to new challenges. To conduct a comprehensive analysis, we reviewed scientific literature, government regulations, statistical data and other sources. The study reveals that social work in contemporary Kyrgyzstan is undergoing a process of institutionalisation, its status is being formed, and practical and theoretical bases are being enriched. This involves the integration of national cultural approaches with modern ones. The study also highlights areas where problems need to be addressed.
Keywords: Social work; historical and cultural context; trends in social work development; case management in social services; key population groups; home visiting; areas of social work

Using experimental research designs to evaluate social work practice in China
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2025.2546871
Written by Bruce A. THYER
Abstract: There is increasing attention being given to the role of research in promoting the discipline and practice of social welfare in China. One particularly useful form of research consists of empirically evaluating the outcomes of social work services, programmes and policies. The purpose of this article is to advocate an expanded use of outcome evaluations that use true experimental research designs, studies where participants (individuals, families, schools, villages, hospitals or other naturally occurring groups) are randomly assigned to receive an intervention that is the focus of the study, or to another condition, such as treatment as usual, a placebo-intervention, delayed treatment, or in some cases to no treatment. After the intervention, differences in outcomes may be validly seen as caused by the treatment that participants received. This ability to make valid causal inferences can be a great strength of true experimental intervention designs, a feature not usually available using other methods.
Keywords: Evaluation; experimental; practice research; programme evaluation; randomised controlled trial; RCT

Impact of professional education on the turnover intentions of Chinese social workers
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2025.2541419
Written by Tenglong WEN, Hao YAN & Fan WU
Abstract: The misalignment of social work graduates in employment and the high turnover rates have hindered the professionalisation of social work in China. This study involves a national sample of 4,558 Chinese social workers to explore how professional education influences turnover intention, with professional identity and job satisfaction as mediators. Findings reveal that social workers with professional education exhibit greater turnover intentions, particularly those with higher degrees. Professional identity and job satisfaction sequentially mediate the relation between professional education and turnover intention. These findings reveal a paradox in the development of China’s social work workforce: social work departments face greater difficulties in retaining talents nurtured through the education system, which seriously hinders the professionalisation process of social work in China. Managers should enhance social workers’ recognition and satisfaction with their work by strengthening continuing education and improving career advancement pathways.
Keywords: China; job satisfaction; professional education; professional identity; turnover intention

Book Reviews
Critical thinking for social work, 2nd ed.
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2025.2543476
Written by K. BROWN and L. RUTTER
Book reviewers: Frederic Kornelius MARBUN & Isa Catya WIBOWO

Developing your communication skills in social work, 2nd ed.
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2025.2542445
Written by P. BEESLEY, M. WATTS, and S. HARLOW
Book reviewer: Xi WANG

Back matter
Word of Appreciation to Manuscript Reviewers
Written by Juan CHEN & Sibin WANG
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2025.2542911

China Journal of Social Work Professionalisation of Social Work in Asia. Volume 18, Issue 1 of China Journal of Social Work

Special issue - Call for papers

Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Social Work Practice

The theme of special issue 19.2 (Publication Date: July 2026) is Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Social Work Practice. We invite researchers, practitioners, and scholars to submit papers exploring the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Social Work. This special issue aims to examine how AI technologies can enhance social work practices, address ethical challenges, and improve outcomes for individuals and communities. Topics include, but are not limited to, AI-driven interventions, ethical AI adoption, predictive analytics in social services, and the impact of AI on social justice and equity. The goal of this special issue is to advance knowledge and provide actionable insights for responsible and equitable AI integration in social work.

Submission deadline
31 December 2025

Suggested questions
．How can AI technologies be ethically and effectively integrated into social work practices to enhance service delivery and client outcomes while addressing concerns of equity and privacy?
．What are the potential risks, biases, and ethical dilemmas associated with the use of AI in social work, and how can these challenges be mitigated?
．How can core social work values and ethical standards be used to protect clients and members of the general public who use AI to manage challenges in their lives?
．In what ways can AI-driven tools and predictive analytics support social workers in decision-making, resource allocation, and addressing systemic inequalities in communities?

Editors of the special issue
Jessica C.M. Li, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Frederic Reamer, Rhode Island College
Kai Lin, University of Technology Sydney

Manuscript submission
While the China Journal of Social Work primarily targets submissions in English, quality academic papers written in Chinese may also be selected for publication. Authors who submit papers in Chinese will be invited to translate their papers into English once accepted, and they will be responsible for the related costs. The abstracts of the papers are published in both English and Chinese. Submissions should not exceed 8,000 words in English and no more than 10,000 words in Chinese, with an abstract of 100-150 words on a separate sheet of paper. All submissions should be made via ScholarOne.

Ready to submit your article? Please visit www.tandfonline.com/RCSW

For general enquiries, please call +852 2766 7725, or send an email to [email protected]

The China Journal of Social Work (CJSW) is the first academic English journal focusing on the development of social work in China. CJSW is committed to providing a platform for academic exchanges in the field of social work, promoting the sharing of research, teaching and practice experiences among scholars, and fostering dialogues and exchanges among social workers at home and abroad. Following years of endeavour, CJSW has been indexed in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus. Recently, CJSW was first listed in the Journal Citation Report (JCR) of Clarivate Analytics. As a steadily growing academic social work journal, CJSW can make your research visible to peers around the world.

• SJR: Q2
• CiteScore: Q2
• JCR: Q3

Examples of papers published in recent year:

• Brewer, K. B., et al. - Formal versus informal pathways to mental health care in China (2024)

• Guo, G., and J. Lyu. - The development of community governance in China: involution and precarious professionalisation (2024)

• Wang, X., and W. Kung. - Social work students’ professional socialisation in China: experiences and challenges (2023)

• Fan, Q. - Supporting older people coping in a digital society: comparing case studies in China and Finland (2023)

• Ku. H. B. - From action to theory building: an action research of rural social work practice in China (2022)

Submission Details:
CJSW primarily invites papers in English, and high-quality papers in Chinese are also considered. Authors submitting Chinese manuscripts are responsible for translating them into English once they have been accepted for publication. Papers should not exceed 8,000 words in English or 10,000 words in Chinese. Abstracts (100-150 words) will be published in both languages. Please be reminded our journal does not accept papers submitted to multiple publications or previously published in other languages.

Please submit your paper via the submission platform on the journal website (http://www.tandfonline.com/rcsw). Click on the “Submit an article” button in the top-left corner of the page to do so.

For additional information, please visit the journal website.
Phone: +852 2766 7725
Email: [email protected]

China Journal of Social Work Publishes research on social work development and promotes discussion on the theory, practice, policy and indigenization within a Chinese context.

The 17.3 issue of the China Journal of Social Work was published online earlier. We would like to share the abstracts of the articles. You may access the full version of the editorial by clicking the link.

This special issue was edited by Dr Lior Rosenberg of Tel Aviv University and Dr Suo Deng of Peking University. The first article analyses the development of China’s community governance transitioning from mass line to professionalisation, highlighting how persistent authoritarian resilience has led to involution and precarious professionalisation in social work, advocating for a democratic governance path through genuine professionalisation. The second study reveals that Chinese community social workers utilise “favouritism” and “clientelism” relationships to secure service spaces, yet these symbiotic dependencies undermine their initiative in policy reforms. The third article, through empirical research on identity, competency, and field practicum, demonstrates that women and students from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to pursue social work careers, while those confident in community work skills show reluctance to enter the profession. The fourth proposes a “community flywheel” model, urging practitioners to adopt probing, engaging, and “Doula” roles to promote community governance in complex systems, combining traditional outcomes-based and emergence-based approaches. The final article presents the “Social Work of Reconciliation (SWR)” framework through a case in Hong Kong, emphasising repairing human, self-nature, and human-nature relationships to build inclusive communities and address global conflicts and disaster challenges.

Editorial

Community governance in cross-cultural contexts: the role of social work
Lior Rosenberg & Suo Deng
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2024.2510042

Articles

The development of community governance in China: Involution and precarious professionalisation
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2024.2355012
Written by Weihe Guo & Juntao Lyu
Abstract: From 1949 to the 1980s, the Communist Party of China (CPC) adopted a “mass movement” strategy to avoid bureaucratisation and maintained a semi-formal mode of community governance. After the 1980s, China’s community governance policies were re-directed towards corporatisation and professionalism, and mass movement was combined with technical and quasi-professional strategies. This article demonstrates that regardless of the changing discourse from people-centred to modern “professionalism”, China’s community governance remains authoritarian resilience. Local government bodies continue to expand their power networks to local civil spaces, altering the professionalisation of governance at the community level. Consequently, the modernisation of grassroots governance has created an involution trap and resulted in a precarious professional scenario for social work. This article argues that the true road to the modernisation of community governance is neither a semi-formal mode of governance nor new public management strategies but through professionalisation to promote the democratisation of grassroots governance.
Keywords: China; community governance; mass line; bureaucratisation; professionalisation; involution

Favouritism and clientelism: Community social workers negotiating with state agents in outsourced projects in China
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2025.2482981
Written by Shasha Xu &Haijing Dai
Abstract: The utilisation of guanxi in the public service sector remains ambiguous despite its prevalence in Chinese society. This paper addresses this research gap and unveils the social workers’ usage of guanxi in outsourced community service projects, based on data from nine-month participant observation and in-depth interviews at two field sites in Shenzhen city. It was found that social workers resorted to favouritism guanxi and clientelism guanxi to negotiate and coordinate with grassroots state agents to gain service space, improve clients’ well-being and promote social equality. The negotiation mechanisms also generated the symbiosis between community social workers and state agents, refraining them from further actions in policy changes. The significance of guanxi utilisation in social work services as the wisdom of practice is discussed with reflections with respect to the commitments to clients’ interests and social justice.
Keywords: Guanxi; community social workers; symbiosis; state agents; favouritism; clientelism

Key factors in social work education shaping career intentions in China
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2025.2492160
Written by Wanyi Huang, Jie Lei, Zhenhao Su &Tian Cai
Abstract: The shortage of trained social work graduates challenges the professionalisation of social work in China. However, limited large-sample research has examined specific educational components that encourage undergraduates to pursue social work careers. Based on the identity-capability-reward perspective, this study surveyed 886 final-year social work students in Guangdong and utilised logistic regression analysis to identify factors predicting their pursuit of social work jobs upon graduation. Students with a stronger personal identity in social work, greater perceived competency in professional knowledge development, and who had more participatory opportunities for field practice were more likely to choose social work jobs. Moreover, women and students from disadvantaged backgrounds were prone to take up social work jobs, although students more confident in community work skills were reluctant to pursue social work jobs. These findings have implications for social work education to promote the pursuit of social work careers among social work students in China.
Keywords: Social work students; career intention; identity; competencies; field practicum

The new roles of the community practitioner in promoting community governance: The emergence-based approach practice
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2025.2459396
Written by Orna Shemer &Hagai Agmon-Snir
Abstract: Community governance is the right of residents to have a say in their lives and the belief that they can do so. Based on a literature review and professional field experience, this article focuses on the roles of community practitioners who use an emergence-based approach to support community governance and introduce an innovative approach to community practice in the 21st Century. The article begins by explaining the key changes that inspired this approach. While the traditional outcomes-based approach (OBA) focuses on community analysis and planning, the emergence-based approach (EBA) recognises that communities are complex systems with limited capacity to analyse and plan their future. To implement the EBA, three roles are presented: probing, engaging and “Doula”. These roles together constitute the “community flywheel”, which enables the growth of community governance initiatives through all community stakeholders. A combined model of the OBA and EBA is suggested to promote community governance processes effectively.
Keywords: Community governance; community practitioner’s role; semergence-based approach; outcomes-based approach; community flywheel

Theory and practice of Social Work of Reconciliation (SWR) in building inclusive communities in Hong Kong
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2025.2489827
Written by Hok-Bun Ku
Abstract: We live in the age of disaster and conflict, the social work profession must think about how to respond. Using the approach of practice research, the author collaborated with a local faith-based social work organisation for approximately eight years, gradually developing a framework of social work of reconciliation (SWR) within the practice process. The framework now guides the service design for the organisation. In this article, the author will first introduce the framework of SWR and then use the case of this organisation, in which he was involved from 2010 to 2022, to illustrate how the organisation was guided by the framework of SWR to provide services that intend to repair the cracks and restore the broken relationships between people and people, people and self, and people and nature, to jointly build inclusive communities that embrace justice, equality, social cohesion, peace and harmony.
Keywords: Social work of reconciliation; age of disaster; practice research; transformation; Hong Kong

Book Reviews

Children of migrants in China
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2025.2478229
Edited by Kam Wing Chan, and Yuan Ren
Book reviewer: Anta Alaka

International aging: Understanding the diverse experiences of growing old
Link: https://doi.org/10.1080/17525098.2025.2477442
Written by J. L. Powell, Cham
Book reviewer: Ying Chen

Community governance in cross-cultural contexts: the role of social work Published in China Journal of Social Work (Vol. 17, No. 3, 2024)