What debates and issues are involved in moves to generalise about social work across the globe? This paper attempts to examine some of these major debates and, in so doing, to suggest some directions for a flexible approach. Crucial to these debates are several tensions around the issues of Westernisation, localisation and indigenisation in social work. It is also important to seek clarity around the complexities of international social work. The political implications involved in these movements are discussed and possible approaches in finding a flexible framework which allows for differences yet provides for accountability, responsiveness and connectivity is suggested.

One of the aims of this journal is to promote qualitatively informed methods of practice and inquiry. Qualitative approaches to social work research and practice are intertwined with the concerns of critical perspectives on the profession. Questions about new ways of knowing, the politics of knowledge creation, and how to attain some of the long-standing ideals of the social work profession amidst changing and challenging contexts, are shared in both qualitative and critical thinking. This issue aims to explore some developments in critical social work perspectives within the context of qualitative social work issues, in order to help inform our thinking about approaches to research that allow us to better attain the ideals of our profession. The editorial aims to provide some context for the articles in this issue through a brief overview of critical social work. After some discussion of the nature of critical social work, the main themes and issues in current writing on critical social work, and a summary of the implications of these for research and practice, are covered.

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