Authors

Anastasia Karpunina¹;  ¹ University of Sheffield, UK

Discussion

This study examines the effects of Russia's increasingly authoritarian regime on the field of social work. Social services in Russia are state institutions, and social workers are entirely dependent on the state as their primary employer, making them highly susceptible to government influence and control. Authoritarian regimes, such as Russia’s, often seek to extend control over social institutions, transforming social work into a tool of state policy. This shift, however, conflicts with the foundational values and ethics of social work, yet remains under-researched. A few studies have highlighted similar shifts (Herrero & Ines, 2024; Munoz & Campana, 2024). The analysis in this submission employs a critical approach to reveal how authoritarian regimes utilize social institutions as mechanisms for propaganda, surveillance, and repression. Methodologically, the study is grounded in a comprehensive review of academic and journalistic sources. The findings outline five primary trends in how social work changes under an expanding authoritarian state apparatus. First, there is increased control over the activities of social workers, limiting their independence in decision-making and shifting their role from advocating for clients to supporting the state. Second, there is a reconfiguration of social work values, restricting the promotion of principles associated with democratic or human rights agendas, which are often labeled as "Western". Third, service provision is increasingly withheld from groups deemed ideologically “undesirable,” such as LGBTQ+ individuals, refugees, or individuals with Ukrainian origins. Fourth, the language and terminology within social work undergo active “de-Westernization.” Fifth, training programs for social workers are adjusted, from course content to stricter oversight of students and faculty. These changes culminate in increased psychological strain, stress, and burnout among social workers, ultimately affecting the clients they serve. The analysis underscores a clear trend towards transforming social workers into agents of state policy, undermining the core purpose of social work and threatening the integrity of the profession itself. This urgent situation calls for further study and the development of mechanisms to support social workers, enabling them to remain true to their professional ethics and to continue advocating for clients based solely on their needs, rather than on ideological conformity.