Research Information System
Global Social Welfare, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus)
Social work education in Turkey, as in many countries around the world, draws its roots from Western epistemology. Although the principle of universality is emphasized in social work education, debates such as Western-centricity, colonialism, and localism have become prominent in social work education in recent years. This study discusses the locality and universality of social work education through the eyes of social workers in Turkey. In this context, qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 social workers who have experience working with different cultures, live in different regions of Turkey, and receive social work education from different universities. In this study, social workers’ suggestions for reducing Western influence in education demonstrate a divergence between localization and universalization. A similar divergence of opinion is observed on this issue worldwide. Another important issue raised by this study is the debate about whether understanding the local requires knowing culture or approaching cultures with humility. As social workers also touched on, many ethnicities, religions, languages, and races coexist in Turkey. In addition to trying to achieve the ideal of cultural competence, it is important that students strive to develop cultural humility as a more feasible solution.