All Outputs (13)

Using therapeutic photography in social work education. (2025)
Journal Article
GIBSON, N. [2025]. Using therapeutic photography in social work education. Social work education [online], Latest Articles. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2025.2516068

Therapeutic Photography is the structured engagement with the creative intervention of photography and is guided by a facilitator in order to use the images to explore issues and work towards clearly defined outcomes for the participants. The techniq... Read More about Using therapeutic photography in social work education..

Social work practice following the COVID-19 pandemic: reflections from Brazil, India and Scotland. (2025)
Journal Article
GARCIA, M.L.T., SPOLANDER, G., LEAL, F., ADAIKALAM, F. and GIBSON, N. [2025]. Social work practice following the COVID-19 pandemic: reflections from Brazil, India and Scotland. International social work [online], Online First. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/00208728241313034

COVID-19 impacted globally, on individual health, care systems and social reproduction. Excessive death, lockdowns and social policy change had immediate and long-term national and global implications. Attention has been given to the immediate conseq... Read More about Social work practice following the COVID-19 pandemic: reflections from Brazil, India and Scotland..

An exploration of contributions to a social work community of practice. (2025)
Thesis
BOLGER, J. 2025. An exploration of contributions to a social work community of practice. Robert Gordon University, PhD thesis. Hosted on OpenAIR [online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.48526/rgu-wt-2934929

This framing essay provides a critical review of my Portfolio of Public Output, based on published research and academic texts and with reference to examples of some related activism, from the period 2019 to 2024. Specifically, this comprises of four... Read More about An exploration of contributions to a social work community of practice..

Exploring and enhancing wellbeing through therapeutic photography. [Blog post] (2023)
Digital Artefact
GIBSON, N. 2023. Exploring and enhancing wellbeing through therapeutic photography. [Blog post]. Posted on The Polyphony: conversations across the medical humanities [online], 21 September 2023. Available from: https://thepolyphony.org/2023/09/21/therapeutic-photography/

In this contribution to The Polyphony blog, Neil Gibson reflects on therapeutic photography and self-esteem. Photography can be a catalyst for communication. When we engage with our own photographs, we are reminded of times gone by, significant momen... Read More about Exploring and enhancing wellbeing through therapeutic photography. [Blog post].

Review of Exploring the role of social, economic and cultural factors in community development: a social work perspective in T/A Chimwala, Mangochi. [Open peer review] (2023)
Digital Artefact
GIBSON, N. 2023. Review of Exploring the role of social, economic and cultural factors in community development: a social work perspective in T/A Chimwala, Mangochi. [Open peer review]. Hosted on Qeios [online], ID COBXEE. Available from: https://doi.org/10.32388/COBXEE

This is a review of the following preprint: ZAIPA, C.M. and MATEMBA, D.D. 2023. Exploring the role of social, economic and cultural factors in community development: a social work perspective in T/A Chimwala, Mangochi. Qeios [online], ID ES35QX. Avai... Read More about Review of Exploring the role of social, economic and cultural factors in community development: a social work perspective in T/A Chimwala, Mangochi. [Open peer review].

Using therapeutic photography in social work: an interpretive phenomenological analysis of the dynamics within a group programme. (2023)
Journal Article
GIBSON, N. 2024. Using therapeutic photography in social work: an interpretive phenomenological analysis of the dynamics within a group programme. British journal of social work [online], 54(1), pages 305-325. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcad196

Therapeutic photography is the practice of using photography in order to explore issues and reach defined outcomes with people who use services. It has been deemed to be an accessible tool which can have a positive impact on self-esteem, self-efficac... Read More about Using therapeutic photography in social work: an interpretive phenomenological analysis of the dynamics within a group programme..

Borders for peace: controls within a Kenyan informal settlement during political conflict. (2023)
Book Chapter
VERTIGANS, S., GIBSON, N. and MUELLER-HIRTH, N. 2023. Borders for peace: controls within a Kenyan informal settlement during political conflict. In Zaman, Q.M. and Hall, G.G. (eds.) Border urbanism: transdisciplinary perspectives. Cham: Springer [online], chapter 8, pages 151-164. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-06604-7_8

During periods of heavily contested elections, accompanying political tensions are often most prevalent within informal settlements. Consequently, the prolonged political tensions experienced in Kenya during 2017 were expected to have the most advers... Read More about Borders for peace: controls within a Kenyan informal settlement during political conflict..

Women's gendered experiences of political instability: Kibera during the 2017 Kenyan elections. (2022)
Journal Article
MUELLER-HIRTH, N., VERTIGANS, S. and GIBSON, N. 2023. Women's gendered experiences of political instability: Kibera during the 2017 Kenyan elections. Women's studies international forum [online], 96, article 102668. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wsif.2022.102668

This study examines how residents of Kibera, an multi-ethnic informal settlement and opposition stronghold in Nairobi, Kenya, understood and negotiated political instability in the run up to, and during, the contested elections of 2017. Much of the s... Read More about Women's gendered experiences of political instability: Kibera during the 2017 Kenyan elections..

Empowering Kibera during political change: a case study through a Freirean lens. (2021)
Journal Article
GIBSON, N., VERTIGANS, S. and MUELLER-HIRTH, N. 2023. Empowering Kibera during political change: a case study through a Freirean lens. International social work [online], 66(2), pages 399-404. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/00208728211010215

Empowerment is an often used concept and the work of Paulo Freire has helped to define the application and outcomes of approaches. The researchers visited Kibera in Nairobi, Kenya, during periods of political activity which had previously resulted in... Read More about Empowering Kibera during political change: a case study through a Freirean lens..

The adult safeguarding practice handbook. (2020)
Journal Article
GIBSON, N. 2022. The adult safeguarding practice handbook. British journal of social work [online], 51(8), pages 3395-3396. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcaa108

Adult safeguarding is a complex area of social work and requires the practitioner to draw upon many skills as they engage with the challenges of referrals, information gathering, multi-agency working and asserting the rights of the adult at the centr... Read More about The adult safeguarding practice handbook..

Resilience and social cohesion through the lens of residents in a Kenyan informal settlement. (2019)
Journal Article
VERTIGANS, S. and GIBSON, N. 2020. Resilience and social cohesion through the lens of residents in a Kenyan informal settlement. Community development journal [online], 55(4), pages 624-644. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bsz012

Over recent years, resilient attitudes and behaviour are widely seen within the Global North to be potential solutions to community developmental challenges. Although greater international emphasis is being placed on ‘bottom up’ approaches, learning... Read More about Resilience and social cohesion through the lens of residents in a Kenyan informal settlement..

Is there a role for therapeutic photography in social work with groups? (2018)
Thesis
GIBSON, N.F. 2018. Is there a role for therapeutic photography in social work with groups? Robert Gordon University, PhD thesis.

Therapeutic photography is the term given to the use of photography to elicit positive outcomes for the user, yet these benefits appear to be underutilised within professional practice, particularly where a therapeutic relationship already exists whi... Read More about Is there a role for therapeutic photography in social work with groups?.

Therapeutic photography: enhancing patient communication. (2017)
Journal Article
GIBSON, N. 2017. Therapeutic photography: enhancing patient communication. Journal of kidney care [online], 2(1), pages 46-47. Available from: https://doi.org/10.12968/jokc.2017.2.1.46

Using photography with patients to help them express concerns, investigate coping strategies and learn from their peers is known as therapeutic photography. The practice has benefits to both professionals and participants, particularly with 'hard to... Read More about Therapeutic photography: enhancing patient communication..