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The giants of social work

Great woman (and men) in the history of welfare 1526 - 1939

Product: Book

Trim size in cm: 15x21

Pages: 539

ISBN: 978-88-590-0165-2

Publication date: 01/01/2013


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«We are like dwarves on the shoulders of giants, so that we can see more than they, and things at a greater distance, not by virtue of any sharpness of sight on our part but because we are carried high and raised up by their giant size» said the philosopher Bernardo di Chartres way back in 1150. And it is from this famous quote, later requoted by Newton, that the guiding idea behind this book by Bruno Bortoli, of the greatest Italian experts in the history of social work, arose. And it is to these «giants» of social work, the key figures of professional social work, of Anglo-Saxon origins at the beginning of the 1900s in Italy, that the accurate, meticulous historical reconstruction which permeates the pages of this book, is dedicated. The new edition, which has been added to and updated with recent contributions, offers biographies of over seventy «experts» in this field.
A universe of experiences, experiments, ideas and «perceptions», which are still little known, emerge: the huge role played by women in the evolution of social work is underlined, and the ethics, the scientific nature and the relationality which accompanied the development of social professions are discerned. To then discover that maybe those experiences are not prehistoric, but have a lot to say to those who work in the fields of welfare services today and who are busy trying to contend with the rapid acceleration of social emergencies.
A priceless source of information for workers and social service and sociology students. A captivating read even for those not involved in the field.


- Scientific philanthropy and the origins of social work
- Early developments in social work in Europe
- Rational chronology
- Precursors and forerunners
- Pioneers in Great Britain
- Pioneers in the United States (1): at the service of individuals and families
- Pioneers in the United States (2): community entertainment and social development
- Pioneers in the United States (3): social journalism, disciplinary analysis and political engagement
- Pioneers in continental Europe
- The first Italian experiences