Professor Ian F Shaw

BA (Econ) (Sheffield), MA (Sheffield), PhD (Wales) Dip App Social Studies (Swansea)

Professor of Social Work
Director of Graduate School

Biography

I have been working in a university most of my career, after five years working as a probation officer. My recent interests within social work and social science focus on four main themes:

The practice/research relationship
Understanding the nature of social work as an applied social science in relation to disciplines like sociology
Qualitative research and evaluation methodology, practitioner and action research
Developing social work research strategies

My first degree was in sociology, and it has continued to influence my social work practice and, subsequently, my university work. I followed my first degree with social work training in South Wales, before returning to Sheffield in the north of England to work as a Probation Officer for five years. I arrived in York as Professor of Social Work in Spring 2003, following a long career in the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University. I am now Chair of the Graduate School.

Much of my teaching is at the borders of practice and research. I teach evaluation methodology, qualitative methods, dissertation and thesis skills, and evidence and knowledge for practice. I have aimed, in addition, to develop a view of professional practice in social work that embeds an evaluative dimension as part and parcel of good direct practice. I have also taught social work practice through eLearning, utilising packages for which I have taken the lead developer role.

Research

My research work has never been narrowly focused on social work, but has been at the interfaces with especially sociology, but also social policy, health studies, education and housing. However, I think that a focus on social work research provides an invaluable gateway to several core issues – joined-up policy, professional decision making, evidence based practice, theorizing practice, involving service users in public sector services, transdisciplinary research, the role of the university in society, and so on. The largest of my recent research projects has been as joint Principal Investigator for an evaluation of the UK’s much-criticized ‘Integrated Children’s System.'

Professional activities

Editor of Qualitative Social Work
Member of the Virtual College of the Economic and Social Research Council

PhD Supervision

Supervision interests

Service evaluation
Any methodologically oriented social work subject except sophisticated statistics
Action research
Practice research in social work
Any sociologically informed social work research
Theorising social work

I also have very strong national and international network relationships.

Recent Publications

Shaw, I. (2009) 'Rereading The Jack-Roller: hidden hsitories in sociology and social work,' Qualitative Inquiry, 15.

Shaw, I., Briar-Lawson, K., Orme, J. and Ruckdeschel, R. (2009) Sage Handbook of Social Work Research, London: Sage Publications.

Shaw, I. with Bell, M., Sinclair, I., Sloper, P., Michell, W., Dyson, P., Clayden, J. and Rafferty, J. (2009) 'An Exemplary Scheme? An Evaluation of the Integrated Children's System,' British Journal of Social Work, 39(5).

Shaw, I. (2009) 'Qualitative practice research,' in Briar-Lawson, Fortune, et al. Commemorative Volue in Honour of W. J. Reid. Columbia UP.

Mitchell, F., Lunt, N. and Shaw, I. (2008) 'Practitioner Research in Social Services: a Literature Review,' IRISS. Avaliable online.

Shaw, I. and Bryderup, Inge M. (2008) 'Visions for Social Work Research,' in Bryderup, Inge M. (ed) Evidence Based and Knowledge Based Social Work. Aarhus: Aarhus University Press.

Shaw, I. (2008) 'Ethics and the practice of qualitative research,' Qualitative Social Work, special issue on ethics, 7(4).

Shaw, I. (2008) 'Merely Experts? Reflections on the History of Social Work, Science and Research', Research, Policy and Planning 26(1).

Shaw, I. (2008) 'Ways of Knowing in Social Work,' in Webb, S. and Gray, M. (eds) Theory and Social Work, Sage.

Shaw, I. and Norton, M. (2007) Kinds and Quality of Social Work Research in UK Universities, London: Social Care Institute for Excellence.

Shaw, I. (2007) 'Is social work research distinctive?', Social Work Education. 26(7), 659-669.

Bell, M., Shaw, I., Sinclair, I., Sloper, P. and Rafferty, J. (2007) The Integrated Children's System: An Evaluation of the Practice, Process and Consequences of the ICS in Councils with Social Services Responsibilities (Full Report). A Report to Report to Department for Education and Skills/Welsh Assembly Government. May 2007.

Shaw, I. with Arksey, H. and Mullender, A. (2006) 'Recognizing social work,' British Journal of Social Work, 36(2), 227-246.

Shaw, I., Greene, J. and Mark, M. (eds) (2006) Sage Handbook of Evaluation: Programs, Policies and Practice, London: Sage Publications.

Shaw, I. and Faulkner, A. (2006) 'Practitioner evaluation at work,' American Journal of Evaluation, 27(1), 44-63.

Shaw, I. (2005) 'Evidencing social work' in Sommerfeld, P. (ed) Evidence Based Social Work - Towards a New Professionalism?, Bern: Peter Lang, 73-107.

Shaw, I. (2005) 'Practitioner research: evidence or critique?', British Journal of Social Work, 35(8), 1231-1248.

Shaw, I. (2004) 'William J Reid: an appreciation,' Qualitative Social Work, 3(2), 109-115.

Shaw, I. (2004) 'Evaluation for a learning organization', Gould, N. and Baldwin, M. (eds) Social Work, Critical Reflection and the Learning Organization, Aldershot: Ashgate.

Shaw, I. (2004) 'Qualitative evaluation: Reflective practice in direct care settings,' in Roberts, A. R. and Yeager, K. R. (eds) Evidence Based Practice in Health Care and Human Services, New York: Oxford University Press.

Shaw, I. (2003) 'Cutting edge issues in social work research,' British Journal of Social Work, 33 (1), 107-116.

Shaw, I. (2003) 'Qualitative research and outcomes in health, social work and education,' Qualitative Research, 3(1), 57-77.

Shaw, I. and Butler, I. (2003) 'Understanding Young People and Prostitution: a Foundation for Practice?', in Matthews, R., and O'Neill, M. (eds) Prostitution, Aldershot: Ashgate.

Books

I have also a number a substantial books that predate this sequence. These include:

Shaw, I. and Gould, N. (2001) Qualitative Research and Social Work. Sage.

Shaw, I. and Lishman, J. (1999) Evaluation and Social Work Practice. Sage.

Shaw, I. (1999) Qualitative Evaluation. Sage.

Shaw, I., Thomas, S., Clapham, D. and Kingsley, J. (1998) Housing and Social Care.

Shaw, I. and Butler, I. (1996) A Case of Neglect. Avebury.

Shaw, I. (1996) Evaluating in Practice. Ashgate.

Last Updated: September 10, 2009 | SPSW

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