SWEDISH ASSOCIATION FOR SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH (FORSA)

FORSA is a politically independent organisation bringing together practitioners and researchers who are active in the field of social work in Sweden, welcoming also other stakeholders who share its aims. The aims of the organisation are to:

  • Enhance development of research in the field of social work
  • Promote exchange of knowledge, experiences and research results between researchers and practitioners in welfare organisations and other settings
  • Improve conditions of research and research studies in social work
  • Promote positive contacts to research funding organisations and authorities
  • Promote international exchanges in the field of research and development

FORSA publishes Socialvetenskaplig tidskrift (The Journal of Research in Social Science). This peer-reviewed journal is co-sponsored by the Swedish Association for Social Work Research and has come to be the leading journal for scientific review in the field of social work in Sweden. It reflects the current scientific developments and the discourse of social science research in Sweden.

FORSA holds an annual conference with lectures, seminars and workshops, organised by one of its seven regional organisations. Local and regional activities in FORSA are mainly organised by the local associations situated throughout Sweden. Often associated to universities with social work education programs, activities include shared seminars for researchers, practitioners, students of social work and service users, thematic conferences, study groups and visits to other countries.

FORSA joins together with the Nordic countries in a Scandinavien FORSA for the purpose of knowledge exchange in a Nordic context. A bi-annual symposium offers the opportunity for social work as academic discipline and practice in the Nordic welfare states to engage in a Nordic discussion.

Since its inception FORSA is an institutional member of the Inter-University Consortium of International Social Development (IUCISD) and the International Council for Social Welfare (ICSW).