Debbie Gonzalez & Pamela Brown (California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt, USA)
The Thematic Network of Social Work is a long standing international community of social work educators in the High North supporting friendship, exchange, and collaboration through conversation, research, scholarship and social work education. At a time when relationships across countries and cultures are facing tough obstacles, it is the right time to acknowledge with deep gratitude to the Social Work Program in Bodø for the commitment to bring faculty and students together where we learn from each other, valuing the various cultures we are a part of.
It all began in the late 1990s when the Nordland Distriktshøyskolen initiated international internship student exchanges. During this period, California had four students over two years complete their field work in two locations in the US. The Norwegian students had an opportunity to learn about the non-profit programs popular in US communities and discuss with US students the public/government/collective network more prevalent in Norway. In 2017, Norwegian students participated in another successful exchange, this time with the University of Regina in Canada, where they explored social work practice in child welfare settings.
In addition to student internship exchanges, in the early years of the network were marked by significant scholarly contributions. Faculty in Norway, Australia, Canada, Russia and the United States collaborated on and published three major comparative research studies: Social Work in Five Countries (2001), Single Mothers, Poverty and Social Work (2004), Coping with Violence Against Women (2005). These studies offered invaluable insights into similarities and differences in social work policy, practice and theoretical frameworks, as shaped by historical, cultural, political and economic dynamics. This work deepened the social work curriculum and also broadened perspectives among agency social workers who supervised students in field placements.
For over 20 years, the network has actively advanced shared values and common interests in social work across eight Arctic states; Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Greenland, Canada and the United States. Strong leadership has been central to this success. Four people have been particularly instrumental in shaping the TNSW research agenda, student exchanges, and scholarship. Siv Oltedal (Norway), Doug Durst (Canada), Asgeir Solstad (Norway) and the current lead, Sandra Rosemarie Jervås (Norway). Each has offered unique insight and direction, helping amplify northern voices. Through teaching exchange, student connection, conference presentations, and scholarly work the TNSW has made a significant contribution to the advancement of social work education and social work practice in the Circumpolar North.
The global shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, required members of the Thematic Network to shift research priorities. In response to the 2020 pandemic, an international editorial collaboration was established involving Dr. Allen (University of Alaska Anchorage USA,) Dr. Gonzalez (California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt, USA) and Dr. Saucer (Umeå University, Sweden) to organise and edit a special issue of the Journal of Comparative Social Work focused on the impacts of COVID-19 on Social Work Practice and Education. An international call for papers generated an overwhelming response, leading the journal to publish the special issue in two volumes. The first volume was published in December 2021 and the second in February 2022.
This collaboration further resulted in two international webinars organised by Nord University, Norway. The first webinar was held in May 2021 titled: “Social Work Teaching 2021: Where Do We Go From Here?” The webinar reflected on insights gained through the editorial process, examining global challenges in social work highlighted by the pandemic and considered the potential long-term implications for social work education. The webinar was well attended by a diverse audience composed of social work students, educators and practitioners.
The second webinar was offered in April 2023 titled: “Reflections form the First Wave of the COVID 19 Pandemic: Lessons from Social Work Practice and Research” featured authors who explored how the pandemic can inform future practice and research during times of crisis, as well as the lasting impacts of COVID-19 on social work. Perspectives were shared from Canada, Norway and Finland.
Student connection has been a central theme to the success of the Thematic Network of Social Work. In its early years, the network participated in traditional student exchange programs, hosting international students on partnering campuses. In more recent years, TNSW has expanded access through technology platforms such as VIRCLASS, Zoom and Microsoft Teams, enabling international exchange without the expense of travel. The design of these student exchange experiences has been a collaborative endeavor, each TNSW member contributing to the development and success of the international classroom. The creativity and the collaboration in connecting students are important strengths of the network. In 2024, Cal Poly Humboldt (United States) and University of Nord, in Bodø (Norway) created a video in celebration of World Social Work Day. The video was viewed by TNSW members' social work students on World Social Work Day on March 19, 2024.
In 2024, Dr. Asgeir Solstad led the design and implementation of the successful international micro course titled Social Work in the Arctic. The course consisted of four distinct lectures, beginning with a welcoming and introduction to social work in the Arctic context. The curriculum focused on three topics: social work and climate change (Dr. Allan Alaska USA), social work and Indigenous people (Dr. Ives and Professor Gabriel Montreal, Canada) and urbanity and rurality in the Arctic (Dr. Guómundsson Reykjavik, Iceland). Dr. Solstad facilitated discussions throughout the course, helping students connect social work challenges and practice wisdom relevant in the Arctic. The class was a great success resulting in it being offered again in 2025. TNSW aims to continue offering this micro course highlighting best practices for social work “on top of the world.”
TNSW members: Asgeir Solstad (Norway), Debbie Gonzalez (USA), Jóna Margrét Ólafsdóttir, (Iceland), Eva Josfsen (Norway) Mikhail Gradovski (Norway), Merja Laotonen (Finland), Mary Dallas Allan (USA) Lennart Sauer (Sweden) Lars Uggerhoej (Denmark). Research meeting, London, England, 2024.
Building on the success of the micro course, a conference workshop was held at the IFSW European Social Work Conference in Oslo, Norway, in October 2025. The workshop, titled Embracing Indigenous Knowledge in Social Work Education led by TNSW member, Dr. Ives and Wanda Gabriel from Montreal, Canada was another example of the collaborative nature of the network. The workshop was interactive with partners from Norway, Denmark, Canada and the US emphasizing how to incorporate respect for Indigenous perspectives, holistic approaches and respectful relationships into social work education and professional practice.
Looking ahead, TNSW has several exciting international projects that will continue to elevate the voices of the north and strengthen global collaboration and perspectives. In May 2026, members from the network will present a workshop at the UArctic Congress in the Faroe Islands entitled “Reconciliation in Action: Decolonizing Academia Through Social Work.” Following the UArctic presentation and building on the knowledge gained from the workshop held at the IFSW conference in October 2025, members of the TNSW will collaborate on an article on decolonizing academia through social work.
Another major initiative that is forthcoming is the anthology Social Work in the North: Possibilities and Challenges, to be published by Taylor & Francis in December 2026. This text is expected to make a significant scholarly contribution and to inform teaching and research not only in the northern regions, but globally.
Each project reflects a deep commitment to collaboration in advancing social work practice from an Arctic perspective. The exchanges, scholarship and the gatherings described here have provided invaluable insights, and have fostered friendships spanning nearly three decades. These relationships have meaningfully influenced our social work curriculum and contributed to the growth of both ourselves and our students.
The Thematic Network on Social Work; Oslo, Norway, October 2025. Front row: Mikhail Gradovski (Norway) , Veronica Haug Bekkstrand (Norway), Sandra Rosemarie Jervås (TNSW lead, Norway), Debbie Gonzalez (USA), Nicole Ives (Canada) , Wanda Gabriel (Canada), Back row: Mary Dallas Allan (USA), Lars Uggerøy (Denmark), Lennart Sauer (Sweden).
