Doing Qualitative Research in Social Work

Ian Shaw author Sally Holland author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Sage Publications Ltd

Published:22nd Apr '14

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

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Doing Qualitative Research in Social Work cover

Bringing key developments and debates together in a single volume, this book provides an authoritative guide for students and practitioners embarking on qualitative research in social work and related fields. 

Frequently illustrated with contemporary and classic case examples from the authors’ own empirical research and from international published work, and with self-directed learning tasks, the book provides insight into the difficulties and complexities of carrying out research, as well as sharing ‘success’ stories from the field. Shaw and Holland have long experience of writing for practitioners and students and in making complex concepts accessible and readable, making this an ideal text for those engaging in qualitative social work research at any level. 

Ian Shaw is a Professor of Social Work at the University of York and at the University of Aalborg.

Sally Holland is a Reader in Social Work at the School of Social Sciences in Cardiff University.




This is an extraordinary book in scope, theoretical sophistication, and practical appeal.  The authors incorporate a variety of  engaging examples highly relevant to social work practice.  They build on and extend the theoretical insights of a diverse array of scholars from various qualitative traditions.   I highly recommend the book for adoption in courses on qualitative methods and also for experienced social work researchers who want to work interpretively with text and image.   -- Catherine Kohler Riessman
This excellent text, produced by acknowledged leaders in the field, provides an account of the relevance and rationale for qualitative methods in social work research, placing these methods in the context of historically evolving practices in the US and Britain. The discussion of specific methods will stand as a landmark presentation that will inform research practice for many years to come. Aimed at social work professionals and researchers it will also have a huge appeal to social researchers more widely. -- John Scott

ISBN: 9781446252826

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 770g

368 pages