SOLIDARITIES AND SOCIAL WORK
News!
For the 2nd Workshop of the EASWR Special Interest Group (SIG) on ‘Solidarities and Social Work`
‘Concepts and Practices of Solidarity and Social Work`
at the 15th European Social Work Research Association Conference (ECSWR) in Aberdeen, 2026
Title: Relocated Solidarity: rethinking social workers' roles in supporting politically displaced migrants
Date: Wednesday 11th February 2026 Start time: 14:00 GMT / 15:00 CET
Abstract
In the wake of the 2019 protests in Hong Kong, China’s imposition of a draconian National Security Law and subsequent suppression of political dissent, many Hongkongers migrated to countries offering ‘lifeboat’ schemes for them, creating new diasporic communities. These migrants carried memories and sentiments rooted in their protest experience and its aftermath, particularly a strong commitment to solidarity with comrades and allies. Drawing on two related research projects, in this presentation, we analyse how these ideals are manifested within the Hongkonger diaspora in the UK through ‘relocated solidarity’. This takes two forms: ‘solidarity in exile,’ which informs continued political activism in the UK, and ‘exiled solidarity,’ which focuses on preserving the Hongkonger community in the host country. The practices adopted by Hongkongers reflect their political commitments and the varied challenges they face in adapting to life in the UK. Hongkonger diaspora as a case provides a critical lens to consider social workers and local authorities’ roles beyond the current focus on safeguarding. We will use three examples, UK Welcomes Refugees , the British Association of Social Workers and Sutton Council, to illustrate social workers’ roles as bridgers for resources and information, engineers of policy space for marginalised voices and community-oriented innovators.
Authors
Dr. Sui Ting Kong is an Associate Professor at Durham University, specializing in feminist participatory methodologies and social work practice research. Her work focuses on the impact of social movements on personal lives, particularly examining gender-based violence and the experiences of the Hongkonger diaspora. She has developed innovative methods to democratize knowledge production and enhance understanding of violence against women in both political and personal contexts.
sui.t.kong@durham.ac.uk https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/sui-t-kong/
Hei Chow is the programme Manager of UK Welcomes Refugees, a UK charity supporting refugees from worldwide. With the Background of Social work and Master’s Degree in Values Education, Hei focused on youth work, community work, while he worked as a social worker, lecturer and fieldwork supervisor in Hong Kong and UK. Hei hopes not only to support and resettle Hong Kongers but to play a key role in UKWR’s wider mission to build a more understanding and harmonious society for the common good of all. Part of Hei’s work also focuses on supporting refugees and overseas social workers from around the world, helping them to build mutual support networks, strengthen their professional identity, and develop new career pathways in the UK.
https://ukwelcomesrefugees.org/hei/ Hei@ukwelcomesrefugees.org
The SIG wants to establish an international network of researchers working on solidarity research in Social Work to promote and facilitate theoretical, methodological, empirical, and international comparative solidarity research.
The SIG wants (a) to initiate and establish international conferences, public forums, and lectures on solidarity research; (b) to offer new possibilities to publish interdisciplinary and innovative findings of solidarity research; and (c) to develop and strengthen solidarity research with researchers in areas of crisis, conflict and war.
Solidarity is the cohesive force that binds modern democratic societies. Welfare states and practices of solidarity are founded on political participation, social justice, and cultural self-determination, but solidarity’s development and preservation are neither inevitable nor linear. Current political, ecological, economic, cultural, and social crises and conflicts pose threats to democracy and are undermining established forms and key aspects of solidarity. These crises and conflicts erode fundamental aspects of solidarity such as protection and recognition. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how and what new forms of solidarity are emerging to meet the threats, address the concomitant social problems, and drive social change and innovation. The Solidarity Research Network (SRN) seeks
