MARQUETTE, Mich.—The next presentation in the International Visiting Scholar Series at Northern Michigan University is titled “The Emergence of Social Work in China.” Xu Yang, director of social work at East China University of Political Science and Law in Shanghai, will speak from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, in Mead Auditorium in the West Science Building. The public is invited to this free event.

            Professions such as social work typically take many decades to develop and mature before they become part of the fabric of society. But when that timeline is accelerated by a widespread and rapidly escalating need for social work skills—as in mainland China—there is a demand for educational institutions to respond quickly.

Yang will address the challenges of social work professionals learning from Western countries that have more established programs and of Chinese universities developing training within the context of both traditional and modern Chinese culture. She will also discuss the roles of the national government in social work development in China.

            Yang has translated two books from English to Chinese: The Social Work Skills Workbook and Social Work with Addiction. She has also written articles on social work and drug abuse, community drug prohibition and the intervention of the social workers, and family therapy for drug abusers.

Her presentation is sponsored by the NMU sociology and social work department, the provost’s office and the international programs office.