Inclusion and Integration Issues Among Forced and Voluntary Migrants in Social Work
A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760). This special issue belongs to the section "International Migration".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 May 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: integration and integration of immigrants, especially forced migrants; the relationship of trust and recognition between immigrants and various actors in society
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to invite you to contribute to a forthcoming Special Issue of Social Sciences titled: “Inclusion and Integration Issues Among Forced and Voluntary Migrants in Social Work”.
The global rise in migration—both forced and voluntary—has brought changes for the field of social work. Social workers encounter diverse migrant populations in contexts of displacement, resettlement and integration. Simultaneously, social work practice is framed by political climates, resource constraints, and systemic inequities.
This Special Issue seeks to deepen the scientific discussion on how social work theory, research, education and practice respond to these dynamics. We aim to explore the intersections and ethical tensions involved in supporting both forced and voluntary migrants, with a critical perspective on structural barriers. We welcome empirical research and theoretical contributions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:
- Migrants’ agency and participation in social work processes
- Analyses of social work interventions with migrants
- Structural and systemic barriers and supportive measures to integration and inclusion
- Culturally responsive and trauma-informed practices in social work with migrants
- Anti-racist, decolonial, and rights-based approaches in social work education, research and practice
- Ethical and methodological considerations in research with migrant populations
- The impact of migration policies on social work practices and migrant well-being
- Social work perspectives on social justice.
Prof. Dr. Kati Turtiainen
Dr. Eveliina Heino
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Social Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- forced migration
- voluntary migration
- refugee
- social work
- integration
- inclusion
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