The volumes contain key works by Hans Thiersch on the theory and practice of social work, particularly regarding life-world orientation, created from 1962 to the present and 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 sociologically grounded theory of critical social work, social ethics, the concept of life-world orientation, and aspects of education; the second volume features essays on fundamental questions of pedagogical action, fields of work, and socio-pedagogical issues concerning youth and A.