Die Geschichte der Heilsarmee

The divergent self-understanding of professional social work is significantly shaped by its heterogeneous historical origins, whose different contours and traditions continue to influence prosocial behavior even into the so-called postmodern era. Institutionally, these differences are concretized in the various organizations and institutions of social work; in professional practice, they manifest in the diverse fields and forms of social assistance work. Furthermore, the debates also stem from theoretical scientific levels, particularly evident in the intense discussions surrounding the theory-practice dilemma and the controversies within the professionalization and methods dispute, which often rely on historically conditioned normative implications. There is only consensus that professional social work exists.