Introduction to Special Issue

Social work regulations obligate social workers to attend to issues of diversity, and consider the value of engaging others well. This includes Christian social workers. Despite this, conflict, divisiveness, and polarization are increasing among North Americans. Perhaps because of this reality, a proliferation of different models has emerged to offer social workers strategies for engaging more positively in the presence of contentious differences. This special issue provides examples of the application of three models meant to facilitate more positive encounters: restorative practice, Reflective Structured Dialogue, and Living Room Conversations. It also offers a conceptual framework meant for deconstructing and assessing various models. The collection of articles in this special issue reflects some of the work being done in North American social work practice to foster improved encounters where differences are present and shows that the field is rich with models to help each of us encounter others well.