Being socially competent is essential in late modern society. By placing social complexity, social vulnerability and social-efficacy within a framework of social policy and social practice, this book argues that growing social complexity excludes more and more citizens from social participation.

List of figures; Introduction; Finding a path; Character, structure and origin of the book; Chapter 1: Social Complexity and vulnerability; Introduction; Setting the problem; Increase in number of people facing difficulties in coping with daily life; Discussing the rise in socio-psychological problems; Social vulnerability; The new social quest; State of progress; Categorisation and emancipation; The problem of system based answers; State of progress under discussion; From a positioning society to a place finding society; The exclusionary social world; Positioning, profiling and connecting; Social competences; Social capital; Problematic social behaviour; Social complexity; The power of specialised knowledge; Complexity as a description, a way of thinking, and a research area; Character of social complexity; The parts and the whole; Emergence; Self-governance; Lacking a coreSuperdiversity, class and poverty; The concept of superdiversity; Descriptive, methodological and political angles of superdiversity; Class and poverty in superdiversity; Changing perspective on answering social problems; Need for customised approaches; Recognition of social-efficacy; The complexity, claims and capacity triangle; A change in perspective or new paradigm; Final remark; References; Chapter 2: Social efficacy; Introduction; Polanyi: Tacit knowledge; An indwelling structure; The risk of detached knowledge; The paradox of evidence and relevance; The higher and lower order; The problem of rational empirical science; Sense of coherence; Bourdieu: Habitus; Field; Habitus; Dispositions; Capital; Durkheim and the importance of professional groups; Schön: Artistry; Artistry in complexity; John Dewey's concept of reflectivity; The swamp worker; Threefold reflection and double loop learning; Mindfulness; Citizen-professional; Sen: Capabilities; Capability as an alternative approach; Capabilities and functionings; Resources and environment; Public reasoning; Conclusive reflections; Professional social efficacy; The social efficacy column; The capability cycle; Synchrony; Social efficacy under pressure; Final remark; References; Chapter 3: Normative professionalisation; Introduction; Professionalisation; Professionals under attack; Professional logics and defining elements; Normative Professionalisation: history and essentials; Resistance to the neo-liberal agenda; Inspiring concepts and thoughts; Developing normative professionalisation; Characteristics; Moral capital; Threefold normativity; A provisional definition; Fostering professionalisation; Steps for implementation; Normative professionalisation in research; Final remark; References; Chapter 4: Transformation and Deinstitutionalisation; Introduction; Transforming the welfare state; Arguments for transformation; Privatisation; Localisation; Civil society; Active citizenship; The concept of active citizenship; Relative and relational citizenship; Deinstitutionalization; Definition and dream; Shared values; Analysing institutions; Analysing deinstitutionalisation; Attitude; Lack of favourable conditions; Cooperation; Resources; Staff; Promising elements for a successful strategy; Common direction; Cooperation and innovation; Empowering citizens; Empowering professionals; Creating favourable financial conditions; Final remark; References; Chapter 5: Social work; Introduction; Exploring and positioning social work; Solidarity and empathy; Blurring borders and defining specialisms; Positioning social work; Social work based on active citizenship ; The social model; More than just a helping profession Core assignment; Work perspective; A broad generic approach; A connecting profession; The social work body of knowledge; Defining the domain; Social work theories; 1. Social case work; 2. Social pedagogy and ecological social work; 3. Caring social work; 4. Critical social work and anti-oppressive social work; 5. Constructive social work; 6. Faith based social work ; 7. Involuntary social work: probation and rehabilitation; 8. Managerial social work; 9. Citizenship based social work; Social work research; Ethics and meaning of life Methodology and methods; Organisation and political context; Positioning social work in local social policy; Social work in different zones; Organising social work professionals; Professionalisation; Standards of a recognized profession; Models of professionalisationContextual social work; What is it?; A teleological practice: implementing social justice; Social work in complex and superdiverse contexts; Final remark; References; Chapter 6: Social work as a practice based science and research; Introduction; Social work as a science and a discipline; Changing perspectives; Epistemological discourse on science; Dichotomies; Positioning social work in the epistemological discourse; Social work research; Practice based research; Characterising social work research; Categorising social work research fields and perspectives; Areas of social work research; Research methodology and methods; Methodology; Mixed method; Validity in practice based research; Characterising the epistemological position of social work research; Evidence based practice or evidence biased practice?; What is EBP?; Strong EBP; Levels of evidence; The seven steps; Weak EBP; Pros and Cons of EBP and its alternatives; Pros; Cons; Alternatives to EBPFinal remark; References; Chapter 7: The case of Marc. Applying theory to practice; Introduction; Multiple connections; Case: Marc Wiggins; Four essential connections; Connecting with the user and his (or her) context; Connecting with society; Connecting with the profession; Connecting with oneself; Ingredients for coping with social complexity; Final remark; References