Qualitative Social Work
Qualitative Social Work provides a forum for those interested in qualitative research and evaluation and in qualitative approaches to practice.
The journal includes the following regular special features with specified word limits. In exceptional circumstances, the editors may consider manuscripts that exceed these limits where additional length is essential to the integrity and quality of the work.
Response and Commentary
Responses to previous articles in the journal or contributions that initiate discussion of current research and practice issues. Commentaries should not exceed 4000 words.
Main Papers
The journal welcomes original manuscripts that address issues in qualitative research and evaluation or that employ qualitative approaches to social work practice, drawing on a range of methodological traditions—including autoethnography, ethnography, grounded theory, narrative inquiry, historical analysis, case study, participatory methods, and critical qualitative approaches—that make a meaningful contribution to social work knowledge, practice, policy, or education. Main articles should not exceed 8,000 words, inclusive of references, figures, and tables. The journal also encourages the incorporation of photographs and other visual materials; color images are printed at no additional cost. All submissions must include an abstract of no more than 250 words and a set of relevant keywords that reflect the manuscript’s focus, methodological approach, and contributions to social work.
New Voices
‘New Voices’ seeks submissions to this journal that are considered innovative and novel ways of conducting research and representing findings. We are particularly interested in the execution of new methodologies, innovative means of data collection, and the exploration of subject matter not previously researched. ‘New Voices’ aims to encourage the originality of perspectives of scholars in the early stage of publishing their work, and social workers who present novel insights in applying quality inquiry to their practice. We are also interested in submissions from practitioner-researchers, who bring a wealth of field experience and knowledge. We are especially willing to hear the voices of those who shed light on the perspectives of people historically marginalised in the literature, and those of social workers engaged in anti-oppressive practice.
Articles may take the form of concise reviews, syntheses, reports, innovative and creative writing forms, or reflective analyses based on practice accounts. The incorporation of non-written material such as photographs and artifacts is also welcomed. Article length should not exceed 4000 words.
Long-Form Papers
The journal also considers long-form manuscripts—up to 12,000 words—for submissions that require extended analytic depth or substantial empirical detail. This category is intended for work that benefits from additional space, including historical scholarship, richly textured ethnographic accounts, methodological innovations, or articles that develop complex theoretical or conceptual frameworks relevant to social work practice, policy, education, or research. Long-form submissions may explore the lived experiences of service users or practitioners, examine the social and institutional contexts shaping social work, or offer critical analyses that advance the profession’s knowledge base. These manuscripts should maintain the same scholarly rigor and structure as standard submissions and must include an abstract of no more than 250 words and appropriate keywords. Please include in your cover letter an explanation of why the manuscript’s scholarly contribution requires additional space beyond the standard word limit.
Electronic Access:
Qualitative Social Work is available to browse online.
Qualitative Social Work provides a forum for those interested in qualitative research and evaluation and in qualitative approaches to practice. The journal facilitates interactive dialogue and integration between those interested in qualitative research and methodology and those involved in the world of practice. It reflects the fact that these worlds are increasingly international and interdisciplinary in nature. The journal is a forum for rigorous dialogue that promotes qualitatively informed professional practice and inquiry.
In addition to articles on qualitative research, evaluation and practice, the journal promotes exchange and conversation on:
- The role of critical perspectives within social work
- The nature of reflective inquiry and practice
- Emerging applications of critical realism in social work
- The potential of social constructionist and narrative approaches to research and practice
The basic assumptions of all forms of research and of practice are being challenged. We invite journal contributors to engage with that challenge and to do so in the primary contexts of social work and the evaluation of practice. Practitioners and those articulating international and interdisciplinary perspectives are particularly encouraged to submit articles and commentary.
This journal accepts supplementary materials, e.g. audio/video files, datasets, additional images etc.
| Lisa Morriss | Lancaster University, UK |
| Lissette M Piedra | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA |
| Yun Chen | The University of Texas at Arlington, USA |
| Emily Keddell | University of Otago, New Zealand |
| Caroline Leah | Manchester Metropolitan University, UK |
| Ian F Shaw | University of York, UK |
| Roy Ruckdeschel | Saint Louis University, USA |
| Kirsty Oehlers | University of Western Australia, Australia |
| Karen M. Staller | University of Michigan, USA |
| Xabier Ballesteros | Sector de Serveis Personals, Barcelona, Spain |
| Jan Fook | University of Vermont |
| Jane Gilgun | University of Minnesota, USA |
| Einat Peled | Tel Aviv University, Israel |
| Stanley L Witkin | University of Vermont, USA |
| Laura Abrams | UCLA, USA |
| Rafael Aliena | Universidad de Valencia, Spain |
| Ralf Bohnsack | Free University of Berlin, Germany |
| Simon Chan | University of Vermont, USA |
| Ronald Chenail | Nova Southeastern University, USA |
| Carol L. Cleaveland | George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA |
| Paula Doherty | University of Birmingham, UK |
| Andrew Durham | Warwickshire Council, UK |
| Zvi C. Eisikovits | University of Haifa, Israel |
| Barzoo Eliassi | Linnaeus University, Sweden |
| Guy Enosh | University of Haifa, Israel |
| Jerry Floersch | Case Western Reserve University, USA |
| Rich Furman | University of Washington, USA |
| Nick Gould | University of Bath, UK |
| Kim Holt | Northumbria University, UK |
| Margareta Hydén | Linköping University, Sweden |
| Dirk Jarre | c/o Deutscher Verein fur offentlich und private Fursorge, Frankfurt, Germany |
| Synnove Karvinen | University of Helsinki, Finland |
| Misa Kayama | University of Mississippi, USA |
| Yasuhito Kinoshita | Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan |
| Larry Kreuger | University of Missouri-Columbia, USA |
| Walter Lorenz | Free University of Bolzano, Italy |
| Wendy Mitchell | Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA |
| Mary O'Connor | Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA |
| Tomofumi Oka | Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan |
| Joan Orme | University of Glasgow, UK |
| Bob Pease | Deakin University, Australia |
| Jason L. Powell | The University of Chester, UK |
| Catherine Kholer Riessman | Boston College, USA |
| Khary Rigg | University of South Florida, USA |
| Amy Rossiter | York University, Toronto, Canada |
| Jan Jaap Rothuizen | National Institute for Social Education, Denmark |
| Jackie Sanders | School of Social Work, Massey University |
| Haluk Soydan | University of Southern California, USA |
| Jean Triegaardt | University of Pretoria, South Africa |
| Liz Trinder | University of Exeter, UK |
| Michael Ungar | Dalhousie University, Canada |
| Stephanie Wahab | Portland State University, USA |
| Susan White | University of Birmingham , UK |
| Karen Winter | Queen's University Belfast, UK |