Do you know the meaning of the word “anamnesis”? What about “zoonoses”?*
Every profession has its own argot and set of peculiarly defined terminology. Social Work is no exception. Nearly thirty years ago, Robert L. Barker participated in a panel to write questions for state social work examinations. As the panelists debated how social work terms were understood, the participants lamented the lack of an adequate dictionary of social work terms. He then set out to fill that need. The first edition of The Social Work Dictionary appeared in 1987. Language, however, does not stay still, and that goes even more so for the specialized language of professions.
NASW Press is proud to release the sixth edition of The Dictionary of Social Work. This fine volume is a handy reference for social workers, and persons in allied disciplines.
Highlights of The Social Work Dictionary (6th Edition) include:
Definitions of terms which are used in social work administration, research, policy development, and planning; community organization; human growth and development; health and mental health; macro and micro social work; and clinical theory and practice; the definitions include descriptions of some of the organizations, trends, people, philosophies, and legislation that have played major roles in the development of social work and social welfare.
Biographical entries that are reminders of the rich lives of people who have made significant contributions to the profession and to social welfare.
Names of organizations that have particular significance to social work practitioners; each now has a Web site that provides extensive information about the organization’s function, methods, history, and mission.
A section titled “Milestones in the Development of Social Work and Social Welfare,” which represents a chronology of the significant developments in the United States and the world toward social welfare policies and practices and the betterment of humanity.
Keeping up with the practice of social work means keeping up with its terminology. The new sixth edition of The Dictionary of Social Work is an essential aid to any social worker or anyone working in allied professions.
*Anamnesis – the client’s psychosocial and developmental history, based especially on the client’s recollections of health and environmental factors that may be relevant to the presenting problem.
Zoonoses – An infectious disease that can spread from animals to humans.
