Michael Lavalette is an Associate Professor of Social Work at Liverpool Hope University. He is also the national coordinator of the Social Work Action Network (SWAN).Vasilios Ioakimidis is a Lecturer in Social Work and Social Pedagogy at Liverpool Hope University. He is also a member of the Social Work Action Network (SWAN) steering committee.

• Introduction: Social work in extremis - disaster capitalism, 'social shocks' and 'popular social work' ~ Michael Lavalette; 'Popular social work' in the Palestinian West Bank: dispatches from the front line ~ Chris Jones and Michael Lavalette; Samidoun: grassroots welfare and popular resistance in Beirut during the 33-Day War of 2006 ~ Michael Lavalette and Barrie Levine; Grassroots community organising in a post-disaster context: lessons for social work education from Ilias, Greece ~ Maria Pentaraki; Grassroots community social work with the 'unwanted': the case of Kinisi and the rights of refugees and migrants in Patras, Greece ~ Dora Teloni; In search of emancipatory social work practice in contemporary Colombia: working with the despalzados in Bogota ~ Carmen Hinestroza and Vasilios Ioakimidis; Addressing social conflicts in Sri Lanka: social development interventions by a people's organisation ~ Ashok Gladston Xavier; International organisations, social work and war: a 'frog's perspective' reflection on the bird's eyes view ~ Reima Ana Maglajlic; Welfare under warfare: the Greek struggle for emancipatory social welfare (1940-44) ~ Vasilios Ioakimidis; Social welfare services to protect elderly victims of war in Cyprus ~ Gregory Neocleous; Worker's eye view of neoliberalism and Hurricane Katrina ~ Marla S McCulloch; Social work, social development and practice legitimacy in Central Asia ~ Terry Murphy; Conclusion: Social work in extremis - some general conclusions ~ Vasilios Ioakimidis.

"...the collection offers a breath of fresh air and would be a welcome addition to any library." Jill Manthorpe in Professional Social Work