抄録
At present, social welfare researchers in Japan can be classified into two types. The first type of researcher has received training as a social welfare specialist. The second type has received training in another discipline, and applies this training to research of social welfare topics. Each type of researcher brings strengths and weaknesses to social welfare research. This diversity of perspectives is valuable, since the field of social welfare has expanded. Increased exchange between the two types of researchers will result in further advancement of social welfare research. For fruitful exchange, the following four points are important: 1) Full consideration from a practical point of view; 2) Examination of social welfare from the point of view of clients' living conditions; 3) Analysis of family, community, and local government conditions to grasp social welfare from the client's standpoint; 4) Examination of local history and community studies.
