Allice Cheyney (1926), stated, “Social work includes all the voluntary attempts to extend benefits in response to the needs which are concerned with social relationships and which avail themselves of scientific knowledge and methods”.
In this definition Cheyney has included all the attempts which are voluntary in spirit and scientific in nature in social work. But she seems to have ignored the public practice of social work that is voluntary and involuntary in nature.
Arthur Fink (1942), defined social as “The provision of services designed to aid individuals, singly or in groups in coping with the present or future social and psychological obstacles that prevent or are likely to prevent, full or effective participation in the society”. According Fink, social work intervenes on individuals or groups to enable them to effectively participate in the development process of the society.
Anderson (1943) stated, “Social work is a professional service rendered to the people for the purpose of assisting them, as individuals or in groups to attain satisfying relationships and standards of life in accordance with their particular wishes and capacities and in harmony with those of the community”.
This definition viewed that social work as profession is used to improve the standard of living and social relations which are important components for a happy and satisfied life.
Friedlander (1951) defined, “Social work is a professional service, based on scientific knowledge and skill in human relations, which assists individuals, alone or in groups, to obtain social and personal satisfaction and independence”.
This definition of Friedlander is considered as one of the most comprehensive definitions of social work. According him, social work is a profession like other professions, through which a trained social worker with scientific knowledge and outlook in handling human relations, helps individuals and groups to have social and personal satisfaction.
Stroup (1960) defined social work as “an art of bringing various resources bear on individual, group and community needs by the application of a scientific method of helping the people to help themselves”.
In his definition Stroup gave a different look to social work saying it an art. He said that it is an art of bringing the people into the position where they themselves will be able to solve their problems.
Pincus and Minahan (1978) combinely gave a definition of social work saying, “Social work is concerned with the interaction between people and their environment which affects the ability of people to accomplish their life tasks, alleviate distress, and realize their aspirations and values”.
Pincus and Minahan together differ from others in their approach to understand social work when they say that social work deals with problems of interaction with the social environment which encompasses the peer group, colleagues, teacher, doctor, neighbor, parents and other relatives etc. who play a pivotal role in the life of an individual.
If one chronologically looks into all the above definitions given from time to time, it may be found that social work has a progressive movement from a voluntary action to a more developed form of profession.
Indian Authors:
Most of the definitions given by the Indian authors reflect the understanding of social work in the context of Indian social situation, though some of them still stick to the foreign view point.
B.G. Kher (1947) stated, “The aim of social work, as generally understood, is to remove social injustice, to relieve distress, to prevent suffering and to assist the weaker members of the society to rehabilitate themselves and their families and , in short, fight the five giant evils of (1) Physical want, (2) Disease, (3) Ignorance, (4) Squalor and (5) Idleness”.
Kher has defined social work with reference to Indian social situation. According to him social work deals with the five major problems prevalent in the society.
Sushil Chandra (1954) defined social work as “a dynamic activity undertaken by public or private effort in the implementation of social policy, with a view to raise the standard of living and to bring about social, economic, political and cultural wellbeing of the individual, family and group with a society irrespective of its stage of social development.”