Editorial


Editorial 
 
 
This very special issue has powerful meaning as two important 
events converge.  First, this is my last issue as editor.  I took over 
the reins with the Fall 2002 from the very capable hands of 
Professor Barry Cournoyer and I pass on the leadership to the 
highly talented Professor Bill Barton.  The journal is in good 
hands.  It feels simultaneously as forever and just a moment since I 
took over as editor.  A lot of work and creativity has resulted in top 
notch scholarship and conceptualization being disseminated to the 
profession and beyond.  I am particularly proud of the special 
issues that have produced in-depth coverage of student assessment, 
the future of social work, and a critique of HBSE theories.  I say 
goodbye with a tired smile on my face. 
 
The second, more important event is that our journal begins its 
digital life with this issue.  Advances in Social Work is a free-
access electronic journal as of this issue.  There are no more paper 
copies being produced as of this issue.  We have pushed hard to get 
as many past issues uploaded to the Advances website so visitors 
to our website can look at not just the Spring 2008 issue but at the 
dozens of past articles.  The Indiana University School of Social 
Work views this journal as one of our contributions to the 
profession.  Hopefully we have made the journal more accessible 
and visible.   
 
This issue continued the high standards and diversity of content 
that our previous paper copy issues have had.  Khaja and Frederick 
describe a very timely issue, how to best work with Muslim 
communities and what they have learned about teaching about 
Muslim issues.  Washington offers a nice discussion of attachment 
theory.  Besthorn raises several important issues about how we live 
after 9-11 and offers a somber warning about legislative directions 
such as the Patriot Act.  Miller and colleagues report on the 
findings from their study looking at dual degree social work 

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programs.  Bhandari offers some important insights on how the 
Violence Against Women Act has helped immigrant women from 
South Asia get better protection and rights.  Gallegos, a pioneer on 
cultural competence theory, and his colleagues offer a very 
provocative discussion on the status of cultural competence theory.   
 
The reader will receive, as always with our journal, a range of 
thought-stimulating  and informative articles.  I encourage you to 
get a cup of coffee and curl up with your laptop on a comfortable 
chair.  Let the paradigm shifting begin!