Abstract
Leila Patel, the Director of the Centre for Social Development in Africa and Professor of Social Development Studies at the University of Johannesburg, offers a comprehensive and nuanced view of social welfare and social development in the second edition of her authoritative text. Her experience as a community worker, manager, policy maker and academic shapes the book, providing insights for the practitioner, researcher, teacher and government employee. In revising the book, Patel has taken considerable care to ensure that the discussion is located within a contemporary context. The current situation and recent events shaping the welfare environment have been carefully and elaborately explored.