Learning beyond asymmetries: a comparative postcolonial exploration of Global South-North field placements in social work education

Field placements are vital in social work education, enhancing students’ knowledge, skills, and intercultural understanding. The growing multicultural composition of populations and increased recognition of global issues emphasize the importance of international field placements in social work. The disparities in contexts, resources, and systems create significant differences in field placement opportunities between the Global South and North. Yet the international field placements also foster similar learning experiences and mutual learning. This article aims to capture such commonalities in South-North global field placements through a decolonial perspective and to examine the transformative effects of cross-cultural learning. Guided by postcolonial and transformative learning theories, a phenomenological inquiry examined the lived experiences, colonial influences, and their effects on student development. Participants include young social work professionals who completed a field placement in either the Global South or North as part of their undergraduate or graduate practicum, selected through purposive sampling from India and Germany. Data from in-depth, semi-structured interviews were analyzed through thematic analysis. Despite colonial legacies and resource inequalities, participants experienced transformative change through intercultural engagement. In conclusion, global field placements promote decolonial, reciprocal learning that enriches social work education and practice worldwide.