Theory and Practice of Social Group Work in Indian Society

Pallassana R. Balgopal, Ph.D. is a social work educator, researcher, and practitioner with 65 years of teaching, curriculum development, research, consultation, and practice experience in social work. Since 2000, he has been an Emeritus Professor of Social Work and Asian American Studies at the University of Illinois in Urbana–Champaign. Before joining the University of Illinois faculty in 1978, he taught at Tulane University and the Universities of Michigan, Maryland, and Houston. He held Visiting Professorships at Delhi University, Jamia Milia Islamiya, Madras University, Visva Bharati in India, and at the National University of Singapore, Fachhoelschule Bielefeld, Germany, and the Russian State Social Institute, Moscow, Russia.Suresh Pathare, Ph.D. is a social work educator, researcher and practitioner working in India, with 30 years of experience. He completed his Masters of Social Work from University of Pune, Ph.D. in Social Work from Delhi University, and post-doctoral studies from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA. Presently he works as a Director at the Center for Studies in Rural Development–Institute of Social Work and Research, Ahmednagar, Savitribai Phule Pune University India. Earlier, he worked as an Associate Professor with Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi, Tata Institute of Social Sciences Mumbai, and University of Delhi. Meena M. Balgopal, Ph.D. is a professor of science pedagogy and communication in the Department of Biology and University Distinguished Teaching Scholar at Colorado State University. Her social science research centers on understanding how people understand socio-scientific issues when bridging different worldviews. She examines the outcomes of pedagogical interventions (e.g., group work, reflective writing) using discourse analysis. She has published more than 65 refereed journal articles, and her research is supported by funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation. She is a frequent recipient of awards for excellent teaching and mentoring students.

• Social Group Work: Historical Evolution and Introduction in India.- Role Theory.- Ecological Perspective.- Understanding Indian Family.- Task-Centered Group Work.- Strength-Based Social Group Work Practice.- Gestalt Therapy and Social Group Work.- Raja Yoga and Social Group Work.- Spirituality and Social Group Work.