NORWEL Symposium 2026

Social work in times of conflicts and war – how do geopolitics impact social problems, practice and research? 

Welcome to the third NORWEL symposium, 22. – 23. October 2026 at UiT in Tromsø! 

Geopolitics determine our life on many levels – from transnational relations, down to our individual existence. Currently, we witness an unprecedented erosion of international relations, where international law, long standing alliances and trust erode from one day to the next. 

What does this mean for the profession of social work, which serves people suffering from the consequences of personal and structural crises, and which aims at building interpersonal trust and positive relations? And what are the consequences of destabilized and destabilizing geopolitics for social work research? 

These are the questions we ask on day one of the third NORWEL-symposium. The Department of Child Welfare and Social Work at UiT The Arctic University of Norway is proud to be the host for this event which is open to everyone interested in research and researcher education in social work. 

For more information about the program, keynote speakers, and registration: