Project title

Memory and its place of production: Oral History programme applied to Social Work

Project presentation

Oral History Programme

Coordinators

Teresa Rodrigues da Silva

Helder de Albuquerque Machado

Team (Core members)

Teresa Rodrigues da Silva

Helder de Albuquerque Machado

Paulo Amaral Soares

Paulo Jorge Pinto

CIHMeSS – Centre for Interpretation, History and Memory in Social Work

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As a general objective:

The Oral History program aims, using oral history methodology as a central research methodology, to collect, preserve and transmit testimonies from people linked to Social Work since its inception, through interviews with people who experienced certain events or historical periods. The application of this methodology will allow the constitution of these interviews in oral sources, capable of providing authentic and complementary information for the advancement of knowledge in Social Work.

Specific objectives:

• Value the diversity of perspectives and voices within the field of Social Work, providing space for different narratives to be told and heard;
• Contribute to the construction of a collective memory of Social Work, recovering individual and collective memory, bringing personal stories and experiences that are often not present in traditional written records of history and their transmission to future generations;
• Promote intergenerational dialogue and the exchange of knowledge between Social Work professionals, stimulating learning and strengthening professional identity;
• Using testimonies as educational tools, enriching teaching;
• Promote the appreciation and recognition of individual contributions to the development of the field of Social Work;
• Stimulate reflection and critical discussion on themes and issues relevant to Social Work;
• Promote the inclusion and representation of different groups and communities within the field of Social Work, ensuring diversity of voices and experiences;
• Better understand the evolution of thinking in Social Work, encouraging research and critical reflection on its practices and impact.

Scientific domain

Social Work

Methodology

Oral History Methodology

Partners

Lisbon Higher Institute of Social Work • Universidade Lusíada

Expected results

• Audiovisual recording of interviews, transcription and transcreation of collected material
• Database storage
• Production of periodic scientific articles reporting the evolution of the program and its impacts on the scientific community

Dissemination

• Organization of 01 International seminar on the historical-critical perspective in Social Work, in Portugal;
• Publication of 03 articles in national and international scientific journals;
• Publication of 01 book chapters organized by the collegiate coordination of the research;
• Presenting the results of the research at national and international seminars and congresses.

Project Contribution to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

By investigating the Foundations of Social Work in Portugal, deepening studies on Social Work in history, this research has enabled reflections on the profession contributing to its different dimensions: theoretical, ethical-political and technical-operative, thus making it possible to rethink professional performance in the different fields of social intervention (health, social assistance, immigration, in the environmental area, etc.), affecting not only the quality of teaching in Social Work but also the quality of services provided to the population that needs their services.

SDG.Goal 4 – Quality Education

SDG Goal 16 – Paece, Justice and Strong Institutions

Expected completion date of the Project

December 2026

Keywords (maximum of 5)

Social Work; Foundations of Social Work; History; Memory; Contemporary Challenges.

Observations

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Project title

Social Intervention and Complex Vulnerabilities: Practice-Evidence-Based Models

Coordinators

Teresa Rodrigues Da Silva

Michel Binet

Team (Core members)

Teresa Rodrigues da Silva

Michel Binet

Fabrícia Maciel

Laboratories (CIHMESS; Lab-FEACC)

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General objectives:

1. To integrate and re-articulate ongoing research projects within CLISSIS into a common analytical and methodological framework, promoting comparability, cumulative knowledge production and robust scientific evidence in Social Work. The concept of practice evidence refers to a balanced and dialogical approach between two research traditions often regarded as opposing and incompatible in the international literature: (1) Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) and (2) Practice-Based Evidence (PBE).
2. To develop, operationalise and empirically validate Social Work intervention models grounded in practice evidence, aimed at understanding and responding to contexts of complex social vulnerability, thereby contributing to methodological innovation, strengthening the effectiveness of professional practice, and enhancing social and public policies through the production of robust scientific evidence on social intervention.

Specific Objectives:

1. Critically analyse contemporary configurations of social vulnerability in Portugal, identifying emerging patterns, structural factors and multidimensional dynamics that challenge traditional intervention models.
2. Review and systematise the international state of the art on practice-evidence-based social intervention, focusing on methodologies, impact assessment models and innovative Social Work practices.
3. Develop a theoretical and methodological Social Work intervention model, integrating analytical, relational and contextual dimensions.
4. Operationalise and empirically test the developed model through multiple case studies across diverse institutional settings involving professionals and service users.
5. Assess the impact of social intervention practices using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, with the aim of producing robust evidence regarding the effectiveness of implemented approaches.
6. Produce replicable technical and methodological tools, including intervention guidelines, evaluation indicators and analytical frameworks applicable to professional practice within a co-research approach that recognises and empowers practitioners as Practitioner Researchers.
7. Disseminate research findings in scientific and professional contexts, contributing to the advancement of knowledge, the enhancement of social intervention practice and the positioning of CLISSIS as a national and international reference centre, while also supporting science and research management activities developed by the centre.

Scientific domain

Social Work

Methodology

The project adopts a mixed-methods, longitudinal and multi-level methodological approach aimed at producing robust empirical evidence on and from within social intervention practices in contexts of complex social vulnerability. It is conceived as an integrative meta-project designed to analytically articulate and reconfigure the research projects currently being developed within CLISSIS through the construction of a common theoretical and methodological framework capable of ensuring comparability, cumulative knowledge production and scientific coherence.

In a first phase, the project will undertake a process of conceptual integration and theoretical development based on a systematic review of the international literature on practice-based evidence, impact assessment and complex social vulnerability. In parallel, ongoing CLISSIS projects will be mapped and analysed to identify convergences, specificities and gaps, thereby enabling the construction of an integrative analytical framework. This framework will function as the central theoretical and methodological device for understanding and operationalising Social Work intervention, articulating relational, contextual and structural dimensions.

In a second phase, the project will focus on methodological harmonisation and the operationalisation of common instruments, a key condition for the scientific integration of the different sub-projects. Shared methodological protocols will be developed, including the definition of vulnerability, intervention and impact indicators, as well as the design of comparable data collection tools, such as interview guides, observation grids and analytical devices incorporating endogenous professional knowledge. This process will be carried out in close collaboration with the teams of the different research groups, ensuring both methodological consistency and respect for the specificities of each study context.

The third phase corresponds to the empirical component of the project and is organised around an embedded multiple-case study strategy, taking as units of analysis the intervention projects and contexts already developed within CLISSIS. This approach will make it possible to capture the diversity of vulnerability configurations and intervention modalities, transforming such diversity into a source of analytical comparability. Data collection will combine qualitative and quantitative techniques, including semi-structured interviews with practitioners and service users, focus groups, non-participant and participant observation of intervention practices, self-confrontation interviews and institutional document analysis. A purposive and diversified sample will be selected, encompassing different areas of social intervention, such as ageing, gender, childhood and social policy, across diverse organisational contexts.

In the fourth phase, an integrated analysis of the data will be undertaken through methodological triangulation strategies, combining qualitative approaches—including conversational analysis, thematic analysis and grounded theory-inspired methods—with quantitative analysis, whenever appropriate, through the development and examination of impact indicators. This phase aims not only to describe intervention practices but also to assess their effectiveness and consistency, thereby enabling the empirical validation of the Practice-Based Evidence Framework developed by the project. Validation will be further strengthened through participatory processes involving practitioners, experts and other relevant stakeholders, ensuring the relevance and applicability of the results.

The innovative nature of the project lies precisely in its capacity to transform ongoing research projects into integrated empirical units while simultaneously functioning as laboratories for methodological validation. This strategy makes it possible to overcome the fragmentation of research, promoting cumulative knowledge production and consolidating a coherent scientific programme in the field of Social Work.

The researcher to be recruited will play a central role in this process, ensuring the coordination of methodological harmonisation activities, the implementation of fieldwork, the production and systematisation of data, and support for international scientific outputs. As such, the position will be instrumental in integrating the different levels of research and transforming empirical diversity into robust scientific evidence.

All ethical principles governing social science research will be strictly observed, including informed consent, data anonymisation and protection, and the safeguarding of vulnerable populations, in accordance with national and European regulations.

Overall, this methodology will enable not only the production of high-quality scientific knowledge but also the development of a Practice-Based Evidence Framework and of replicable methodological tools, contributing to the strengthening of Social Work practice and to the positioning of CLISSIS as a leading centre for applied research in Portugal.

In addition, the project incorporates monitoring and quality-control mechanisms throughout all stages of the research process, ensuring the consistency and robustness of the data produced. The methodological strategy explicitly acknowledges the complexity and heterogeneity of intervention contexts, adopting procedures of triangulation, cross-validation and iterative refinement of analytical instruments. This approach will mitigate risks associated with empirical diversity while strengthening the reliability of the findings. Furthermore, the project design emphasises the scalability and transferability of the knowledge produced, ensuring that the Practice-Based Evidence Framework and the methodological tools developed can be applied across a variety of institutional settings and utilised in future research. In this way, the methodology not only guarantees the production of scientifically robust practice-based evidence but also supports the continuity and expansion of CLISSIS's research programme.

Partners

• European Association of Schools of Social Work (EASSW);
• National and international research centres and networks in the felds of Social Work and Social Policy;
• Social intervention institutions and social economy organisations involved in the case studies;
• Public and private entities working in contexts of social vulnerability, integration and social inclusion.

Expected results

Dissemination

• Publication of scientific articles in national and international peer-reviewed journals, including the Intervenção Social Journal;
• Presentation of papers at national and international conferences on Social Work, Social Policy and Social Intervention;
• Organisation of seminars, workshops and scientific events at Lusíada University and partner institutions;
• Production of technical reports and intervention guidelines for practitioners and social organisations;
• Dissemination of results through the CLISSIS and Lusíada University websites and institutional networks;
• Participation in national and international scientific networks in Social Work and Social Sciences;
• Publication of book chapters and/or an edited volume arising from the project.

Project Contribution to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 1 – No Poverty: Development of knowledge and intervention practices aimed at reducing poverty and social exclusion.

SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities: Promotion of social inclusion and more equitable responses for vulnerable groups.

SDG 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: Strengthening the quality, effectiveness and innovation of social intervention institutions and policies through the production of scientific evidence.

Expected completion date of the Project

December 2029

Keywords (maximum of 5)

• Social Work
• Complex Vulnerabilities
• Practice Evidence
• Intervention Models
• Applied Research

Observations

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Project title

Historical and theoretical foundations of Social Work in Portugal: background, memory and contemporary challenges

Project presentation

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Coordinators

Prof. Dr. Fabrícia Cristina de Castro Maciel 

Prof. Dr. Alcina Martins

Collegiate coordination

Prof. Dr. Fabrícia Cristina de Castro Maciel 

Prof. Dr. Alcina Martins

Prof. Dr. Cláudia Mônica dos Santos

Team (Core members)

Brazil:
Federal University of Juiz de Fora
Prof. Dr. Alexandra Eiras
Prof. Dr. Cláudia Mônica dos Santos
Carla Fernandes (PPGSS PhD student)
Sara Mayrink (FSS undergraduate)
Clara L. Corrêa (FSS undergraduate)
Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP)
Prof. Dr. Maria Emília Ferreira (Post-doctoral student)
Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
Prof. Dr. Alzira Maria Baptista Lewgoy
Master's student: Fernanda Escobar F. Barbosa
IC Fellow: Rafaela Pinheiro dos Santos
State University of Londrina
Prof. Dr. Kathiuscia Aparecida Freitas Pereira Coelho

Portugal:
Miguel Torga Higher Institute - Coimbra
Prof. Dr. Rosa Tomé
Prof. Dr. Alcina Maria Martins (retired prof.)
Viseu Polytechnic Institute / Lamego School of Technology and Management
Prof. Dr. Alex Toledo
Portuguese Catholic University / Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences - Braga
Prof. Dr. Daniela Monteiro
Lisbon Institute of Social Work (ISSSL) - Lusíada Center for Research in Social Work and Social Intervention - CLISSIS
Prof. Dr. Fabrícia Cristina de Castro Maciel
Prof. Dr. Teresa Rodrigues da Silva
University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro
Bárbara Valim (master's student)

Centre for Interpretation, History and Memory in Social Work

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Objective:

To carry out a historical-analytical reconstruction of the critical perspective of Social Work in Portugal (1990-2020). 

Specific:

• To analyze the socio-historical formation of Portugal and its implications for Portuguese Social Work; 
• To identify historical-critical approaches in academic and bibliographic production in Portugal; 
• Characterize the historical-critical perspective in Portuguese Social Work; 
• Explain the forms of relationship established by Social Work professionals with workers' struggles, movements and organizations in the context of the organization of the category and in the participation of professionals in movements and organizations; 
• Specify historical-critical trends and their impact on current professional work and academic training, in particular internship and supervision activities, since they involve professional training and practice.

Scientific domain

Social Work

Methodology

In critical social theory, the construction of knowledge starts from concrete reality through successive abstractions which, through dialectical reason, grasp the historical development and contradictions of social relations, which permanently guide the analysis. This concept requires overcoming any interpretative determinism, whether structuralist or subjectivist, since a concrete and objective analysis implies a dialectical interrelationship between structure and subject. With this in mind, the research aims to reconstruct the historical process of Social Work in Portugal by supporting the fieldwork in conjunction with the institutions and researchers collaborating on this project. 

We will use bibliographical and documentary research. The bibliographic research will identify all the theses produced in the three doctoral programs in Social Work in Portugal: ISCTE, Interinstitutional at the Catholic University of Lisbon/Coimbra and the Lusíadas University. We will also select the productions most indicated in the bibliographies of the syllabuses of the seventeen Social Work courses in the country. In the documentary research, we will analyze the syllabuses and curricular unit sheets available on the websites of these courses.

We will also analyze the material collected by the research project "Fundamentals and mediations of internship supervision in Social Work in professional training and practice: a study of Ibero-American particularity", which is already being developed by three of the researchers who are part of this project's team, as already mentioned here. 

The team of researchers will meet regularly, using face-to-face meetings and visits to the different sites, as well as videoconferences and online meetings. They will also take part in meetings, symposia and study groups organized by the coordinators of the Europe group, as well as by the coordinators of the Portugal group.

Partners

Brazil:

Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF)

State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ)

Fluminense Federal University (UFF-Puro) 

Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-RIO);

Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP) 

Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS)

State University of Londrina (UEL)

Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES)

Fluminense Federal University (UFF-Puro)

Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP)

State University of Western Paraná (UNIOESTE)

Federal University of Ouro Preto (UFOP)

Portugal:

Miguel Torga Higher Institute (ISMT)

Polytechnic Institute of Viseu (IPV-ESTGL)

Portuguese Catholic University (FFCS - UCP)

Lusíada University - (UL) / Higher Institute of Social Work (ISSSL) - CLISSIS 

University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD)

Other partners:

Argentina: 

National University of Rosario (UNR) 

National University of La Plata (UNLP) 

National University of Tucumán (UNT)

Chile: 

Pontifical Catholic University (PUC-Valparaís)

University of Chile 

University of Santiago de Chile (USACH)

University of Tarapacá (UTA

Colombia: 

Externado de Colombia University

Universidad del Valle (UNIVALLE)

University of Caldas

Uruguay:

National University of Uruguay

Spain: 

University of the Balearic Islands (UIB)

University of Granada (UGR)

United Kingdom:

University of the West of Scotland (UWS) 

Loughborough University (LHU)

Expected results

Dissemination

• Organization of 01 International Symposium on the historical-critical perspective in Social Work today, in Portugal; 
• Publication of 03 articles in national and international scientific journals; 
• Organization of 01 book on the research; 
• Publication of 03 book chapters organized by the collegiate coordination of the research; 
• Presenting the results of the research at national and international seminars and congresses.

Project Contribution to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

By investigating the Foundations of Social Work in Portugal, deepening studies on Social Work in history, this research has enabled reflections on the profession contributing to its different dimensions: theoretical, ethical-political and technical-operative, thus making it possible to rethink professional performance in the different fields of social intervention (health, social assistance, immigration, in the environmental area, etc.), affecting the quality of the services provided to the population that needs their services.

Expected completion date of the Project

December 2026

Keywords (maximum of 5)

Social Work; Foundations of Social Work; History; Memory; Contemporary Challenges.

Observations

Project presentation

The research Historical and theoretical foundations of Social Work in Portugal: antecedents, memory and contemporary challenges, is part of a larger research project entitled “Social Work in History: Social Question and Social Movements - Latin America and Europe (1960 - 2020)”. This research network brings together 90 researchers from 38 academic institutions in 8 countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom). The research focuses on the historical and theoretical-methodological foundations from the perspective of Social Work in history, considering the legacy of the profession's links with social struggles and movements in the processes of breaking with conservatism, in the (re)production of capitalist social relations, in the period 1960-2020, and will contribute to deepening the analysis of the profession in the countries involved. 

The general objective of the network research: To elucidate the unity and diversity of Social Work in Latin America and Europe in its recent trajectory, based on the apprehension of the social question in the dynamics of the crisis of capital, explaining the relationships derived from workers' struggles, movements and organizations and their impact on work, training, organization of the category and production of knowledge in the profession.

This broader research is an offshoot of the research entitled: The Reconceptualization Movement of Social Work in Latin America: historical determinants, international interlocutions and memory (1960-1980), already carried out from 2016 to 2020.

The results already produced by the expanded research group include books and journals: 

IAMAMOTO, M. V. and SANTOS C. M. (Orgs) (2021). History inside out. The Reconceptualization of Social Work in Latin America and International Interlocutions. São Paulo: Cortez. 

EIRAS, A. L. T. S.; MOLJO, C. B.; DURIGUETTO, M.L. (Org.). (2022).  Historical-critical perspectives in Social Work: Latin America, Europe and the USA. Juíz de Fora: Editora Universidade Federal Juíz Fora. 

Critical and radical Social Work journal

Other digital products can be accessed at Links:

Live "History inside out", with Marilda Iamamoto and Cláudia Mônica dos Santos, Cortez Editora (2021).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLY0KL49OR8

Times of Memory - The research The reconceptualization movement of Social Work in Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Colombia): historical determinants, international interlocutions and memory. Documentary by Siza Dourado and audiovisual team: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlE5QwGNsPY&t=2s

Targets: 

• Production and publication of 01 book with the results of the research;
• Production and publication of 03 articles in national and international scientific journals;
• Production and publication of 03 book chapters organized by the collegiate coordination of the research; 
• Presentation of papers at national and international congresses;
• Symposiums to develop, debate and socialize the research among the countries involved in the extended project - "Social Work in History: Social Question and Social Movements - Latin America and Europe (1960 - 2020)".