Richard Hugman is Emeritus Professor of Social Work in the School of Social Sciences (SoSS) at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, UNSW.

Richard is a qualified social worker who spent a decade in practice. His recent research includes developing new approaches in ethics for the caring professions, virtue ethics in social work (ARC Discovery, with colleagues at Charles Sturt University), an analysis of the meaning of human rights for refugees settled in Australia (ARC Linkage, with the Centre for Refugee Research) and a critical analysis of international social work, with particular reference to culture, difference and shared values, and on social development as social work practice. He is currently editing a volume on social work theory and ethics (with Dr. Dorothee Hölscher and Prof. Donna McAuliffe). Since 2004 Richard has worked with UNICEF Vietnam to advise the Vietnam Government on the development of professional social work. Between 2008 and 2014 he was the ethics commissioner of the International Federation of Social Workers. Previously he has undertaken various research projects concerning late life, community and social welfare, mental health, and the organization of social services. Richard is a Foundation Fellow of the Australian College of Social Work and a Fellow of the Australian Association of Gerontology.

Research Areas

Professional ethics, including research ethics; international issues in social work and social development; old age/late life; mental health; social policies relating to social work, social care, human services and community welfare

Current Research Projects

• Springer-Nature, Major Research Works, editor-in-chief for series on Social Work
• Carers of people living with mental health difficulties in CALD communities (with Dr. Abner Poon, ARC application pending)
• Spirituality and social work (project under development)