The volumes contain central works by Hans Thiersch on the theory and practice of social work, particularly focusing on life-world orientation, which have been produced from 1962 to the present and are often no longer accessible. Hans Thiersch's contributions to the theory and practice of social work, especially regarding the concept of life-world orientation, represent an important contribution to the professional discourse in recent decades. The selection of often inaccessible texts from the years 1962 to 2014 presented here highlights the development and breadth of the approach. The first volume includes essays on a social science-based theory of critical social work, social ethics, the concept of life-world orientation, and aspects of education; the second volume contains essays on fundamental questions of pedagogical action, fields of work, and socio-pedagogical issues related to youth and A.