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Inclusive Society and Social Work: The Netherlands

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Ambivalences of Inclusion in Society and Social Work

Abstract

The Government of the Netherlands has adopted concepts such as inclusion in its rhetoric on restructuring national welfare policy and its declared participation society. Dutch citizens are being called upon to find ways to strengthen their own well-being and to build a better society together. The underlying concept of this participation society—everyone is included and can take part—can also be deemed a moral imperative. For some, participation is a legal obligation and those unable to meet this standard risk exclusion. As a result, the demand for participation, and the requirements as to how and where it should occur, combine to achieve the exact opposite of its intended purpose: this creates a participation paradox. In the Netherlands, social workers are part of the change processes and they are taking on a variety of new roles in their plight to support the more vulnerable members of society.

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Correspondence to Maria José Freitas .

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Freitas, M.J., Dassen, J., Louali, S., Sniekers, M., van Lieshout, C., Wevers, C. (2021). Inclusive Society and Social Work: The Netherlands. In: Bundschuh, S., Freitas, M.J., Palacín Bartrolí, C., Žganec, N. (eds) Ambivalences of Inclusion in Society and Social Work. European Social Work Education and Practice. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-55446-0_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-55446-0_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-55445-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-55446-0

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