Stanley L Witkin, MSSW, Ph.D.
Global Partnership for Transformative Social Work (GPTSW)
Charlottesville, Virginia 22902
Phone: (802) 363-0803
Email: slwitkin@gmail.com
Web: www.gptsw.net
I
am Emeritus Professor of Social Work at the University of Vermont and
an Adjunct Professor in the School of Social Policy & Practice at
the University of Pennsylvania. During my time at Vermont, I initiated
and led the development of the first social constructionist oriented MSW
program in the U.S.
I was the co-founder (with Dennis Saleebey)
and current president of the Global Partnership for Transformative
Social Work (www.gptsw.net), an organization that invites and supports
global dialogue on transformative inquiry, practice, and pedagogy for
the purpose of creating a more humane, tolerant and peaceful world.
Drawing on social constructionist and related dialogues, we seek ways to
enrich relationships that will enable the generation of new and
sustainable futures.
I have been a Fulbright scholar at the
University of Lapland (Finland) and at University College and Trinity
College in Dublin. I have also held visiting scholar appointments at the
University of Calgary, the University of Newcastle (Australia), the
University of York (UK), and Hong Kong Polytechnic University. In 2004 I
was awarded an honorary doctoral degree in social science from the
University of Lapland.
In addition to several publications, my recent books include:
- Transforming Social Work: Social Constructionist Perspectives on Contemporary and Enduring Issues, (2017) Palgrave MacMillan.
- Narrating Social Work Through Autoethnography (2014) Columbia University Press.
- Social Construction and Social Work Practice: Interpretations and Innovations (2011) Columbia University Press.
I currently live in Charlottesville, Virginia with my spouse, Frannie, and our dog Pekoe.

Columbia University Press is pleased to announce the publication of Social Construction and Social Work Practice: Interpretations and Innovations
edited by Stanley Witkin.
“A work to be celebrated-an exciting feast of challenging, passionate, and informative contributions to social work practice. Here we move away from the traditional regimentation of relationship-along with its categories, testing, and measurements-to working pragmatically and resourcefully with clients in context. These offerings illuminate and expand upon the rich potentials of a constructionist orientation to relating effectively with challenges to change. I am deeply impressed.”
-Kenneth J. Gergen, president, The Taos Institute
To read an excerpt or find out more: click here