Call for Papers #1

#SocietyEducation in the digital age.

Social Work Perspectives on Technological Challenges.

Edited by: Julius Späte, Cordula Endter, Daniela Cornelia Stix, Karsten Krauskopf

With the exponential growth of technological developments, it is clear that they are also bringing about rapid social transformations. The potentials of mediatised living environments and a technologised society that arise from the Internet of Things, virtual realities, artificial intelligence, assistive technologies and much more (see Beranek 2021; Endter 2021; Schiffhauer 2020; Siebert 2020) are countered by challenges such as the alienation of individuals and groups or digital inequalities (see Kutscher/Otto 2014). Social Work is not only confronted with its own mechanisation, digitalisation and mediatisation in this profound social change, but also with transformed life situations, communication methods and structures.

The discourse on these topics has developed in many different ways in recent years (cf. e.g. Hammerschmidt et al. 2018; Kutscher et al. 2020; Wunder 2021). Nevertheless, in addition to further positioning, the (further) development of theories, concepts, models and methods is also required (cf. Beranek 2021) in order to face the complex challenges on the one hand and to ensure that the discipline and profession of Social Work cannot become effective solely where the consequences of technological progress in the social sphere become apparent.

In addition to intervention and prevention in problematic situations that are exacerbated by technical innovations, Social Work should also be increasingly committed to accompanying developments in mediatised living environments and educating society about the potential and limits of progress. The perspective on individual and social education processes does not only refer to the training of competences. For Social Work, it begins with gaining a picture of the transformations of the social sphere and continues with the aspects of supporting people in forming judgements and opinions, supporting the formation of initiatives, independently developing new ideas and structures and sometimes also dissolving boundaries that have been formed, and much more. To do this, Social Work might also have to become active itself and, as it were, support its addressees in getting involved where technologies are being developed so that the needs, requirements and values of the users are taken into account and human rights (see Staub-Bernasconi 2019) are respected.

Against this backdrop, the anthology "#GesellschaftBilden im Digitalzeitalter. Perspectives of Social Work on Technological Challenges" aims to present current research and practice perspectives on the potentials and challenges of technologisation, digitalisation and mediatisation for Social Work. Contributions are welcome that address the following questions, among others:

• What role can Social Work play in the discourse around technology development that respects human rights?
• What influence do technological developments have on the theory and practice of Social Work?
• To what extent can technological euphoria or scepticism be a fund or a hindrance for Social Work practice?
• How can technical innovations be used in social work programmes? What potential do they offer and what are their challenges and limitations for the profession?

• What future prospects can be developed for Social Work based on technological progress? How should Social Work position itself in order to integrate the potentials and how can it meet challenges?

We are equally pleased to receive theoretical, empirical and practice-oriented contributions from the field of Social Work. Please submit your contribution proposal (abstract) of 300 - 500 words by 15 January 2024 via email to julius.spaete(at)fh-potsdam.de. We will register for the following semester by 31 January 2024 and the complete contributions of between 30,000 and max. 35,000 characters (including spaces and bibliography) should be submitted by 1 April 2024 at the latest. A simple and open peer review process will then take place for the contributions (see timetable).

The anthology will be a publication of the Digitalisation Research Network North East, an initiative for the regional networking of actors involved in research, training and practice strengthening on the topics of technologisation, digitalisation and mediatisation in Social Work. Contributions to the anthology are welcome from all interested parties from German-speaking countries. The publication will be published in print and open access by Waxmann Verlag in 2025 and is funded by the Potsdam University of Applied Sciences.