Social Work and Social Policies in Contemporary Poland: Social Innovation and AI Between Present Challenges & Future Directions

Abstract

This seminar provides an accessible introduction to key social problems, social work practices, and social policies in contemporary Poland. The session will explore how recent social, political, and economic changes are influencing welfare systems, social rights, and everyday social work practice. Combining sociological theory with policy analysis, the seminar will highlight current challenges such as social inequalities, emerging vulnerabilities, and the role of social innovation in responding to complex social needs, with particular attention to developments in Poland. It will also address the specific characteristics of social work practice in the Polish context and present insights from ongoing research on social workers’ attitudes toward artificial intelligence. The event offers participants a clearer understanding of the Polish context, while encouraging reflection on broader European debates in social work, social policy, and innovation in professional practice.

About speaker

Prof. Dr. Ryszard Necel is a Professor of Sociology at the Faculty of Sociology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland, where he serves as Vice-Dean for Research. His research focuses on the sociology of social problems, social rights advocacy, social innovation, and social work. He combines social policy analysis with contemporary sociological theories. His work has been published in Journal of Contemporary Central and Eastern Europe, International Social Work, International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, and Global Networks.

Moderator

Alessandro Sicora, Università di Trento