Broadening the mind: Cross-national activities in social work

Cross-national activities in social work are claimed to be valuable because they 'broaden the mind' of participants. This paper argues that cross-national activities have as a result been uncritically valued, and proposes a more critical analysis. Drawing on examples of the authors' experiences, they argue that cross-national activity often misunderstands difference as cultural. Careful analysis of structural contexts, knowledge and process is crucial to evaluating cross-national work; this paper focuses on structure. Participants, their objectives and their power need to be examined: roles of stakeholders and 'ringmasters' distinguish different positions. To be successful, objectives need to progress towards more mutual, equal and committed participation of partners.