SOWREL -project in English

The research project is based on the need to renew social work’s knowledge base and competence, which arises from Finnish society’s religious and cultural diversification. The project aims to produce information on the practical interpretation of religion and cultural meanings in social work to develop competence, especially in client work with minorities.

In the project, we study how religiosity and cultural meanings are highlighted and recognized in adult social work and child welfare, how skillful interpretation of religions and cultures should be in social work client work, and what expertise should be increased to strengthen ethical practices in social work and build trust in society. The project also examines diversity and tensions within minority groups by highlighting the importance of communities as support providers and potential restrictions on individual rights.

The project is administered by the University of Turku and implemented in cooperation with Diaconia University of Applied Sciences. It is funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health with a government grant for university-level research in social work from 2024 to 2026.

Research questions

1. How are clients’ different religious and cultural backgrounds and the meanings given to them by clients identified and interpreted in social work?
2. What professional ethical and professional practice skills and competencies do social workers have in identifying, interpreting, and considering religious and cultural meanings in customer encounters, assessing the different stages of the client process, and implementing services and support?
3. What kind of theoretical, practical, and ethical competence is needed in social work and social work research that encounters religious and cultural minorities?
4. How can religious literacy and cultural competence be developed and utilized to understand and dismantle complex phenomena linked to religious and cultural meanings?

Implementation and schedule

WP I

The work package analyses and theorizes existing empirical research data, analyses the project’s existing qualitative data, and acquires new interview data. The empirical material consists of individual and group interviews with social workers and their writings.

WP II

The work package will use the research results of Work Package I to develop an online publication on methods of religious and culturally conscious client work in social work education and publish a compilation of articles suitable for use as a textbook in social welfare and health care. In addition, workshops involving minority communities and separate workshop on professional ethics in religion—and belief-conscious social work will be organized as part of Work Package II.

Research data and methods

The project collects new data by conducting group interviews with social workers and social counsellors in different well-being services counties. The ready-made data consists of interview data from doctoral researcher Taipale’s Muslim community (22 interviews), social workers and social counsellors (12 interviewees), and ethnographic field research material. The finished material has an ethical statement from the Research Ethics Committee of the University of Turku. The research data is analyzed using qualitative methods.

The project will conduct workshops involving religious and cultural minorities to enable critical and polyphonic examination of the project results. Workshops involving minority communities will be organized 2-3 times in locations to be determined. The aim is to broaden the common understanding of research results and the research phenomenon and to strengthen the diversity of target groups as part of research. In addition, the project will carry out a workshop on professional ethics in religious and philosophical social work, which aims to introduce chapters for the SOWREL -project publication: Religious and culturally aware ethical competence in social work.

More info about the project

Merja Anis, merja.anis@utu.fi, +358 505708673

Photo: University of Turku media bank