Social Justice and Social Work,A Fierce Urgency: Recommendations for Social Work Social Justice Pedagogy

ABSTRACT

This article addresses the challenge of understanding the meaning and pedagogical application of social justice in social work by presenting and applying the circle of insight framework I created and proposing a social work definition of social justice. In particular, the circle of insight is presented as a tool and a process for critically examining learnings from social justice courses, transforming social justice social work pedagogy, and defining social justice in social work. In the fierce urgency of now, consistent with research findings and the social work profession’s ethical codes and statements, social workers are invited to use the circle of insight process and proposed definition of social justice to engage in social justice–infused social work curricular transformation.     

青年白领移民社会信心及影响因素

当前,中国青年白领移民群体的数量和规模逐年递增,其对迁入地社会结构的变更和城市建设的推进等方面的影响越来越大。但从当前青年白领移民的成长现状来看,表面光鲜的背后是白领们日益繁重的压力、焦虑与愤懑的社会事实,众多白领身不由己地从白领沦为“白奴”似乎已成常态,由此必会引发青年白领移民群体社会心态的浮动。对1046名白领的研究发现．年龄和收入显著正向影响青年白领移民社会信心的变化．社会信心在性别上的差异性与其拥有社会支持的程度紧密相关;生活压力方面：自购房、自身健康压力及社会信任度显著影响青年白领移民社会信心;社会参与、情感性支持和社交陪伴是显著影响青年白领移民社会信心的社会支持因素。     

The social capital and mental health of long-term social assistance recipients in Norway

Previous findings have generally demonstrated the positive mental health benefits of social capital. However, the mental health benefits of social capital for social assistance recipients have not been fully demonstrated. This study analyses the mental health benefits of individual-level bonding and individual-level bridging social capital for 551 Norwegian longer-term social assistance recipients. The findings demonstrate that bonding social capital, i.e. contacts with friends and access to social resources, are positively associated with mental health. Of the variables in the study that relate to bridging social capital, social trust and trust towards the social worker particularly show significant associations for mental health. Consequently, it is important that the mental health benefits of various forms of bonding and bridging social capital are acknowledged within social work practices and that social work practitioners actively aim to increase social trust in longer-term social assistance recipients.     

Teaching Note—Incorporating Social Innovation Content Into Macro Social Work Education

The practice of social innovation offers promising approaches for addressing social issues. Although many social innovation strategies are congruent with macro social work theory and practice, some of the insights and tactics that have emerged in the social innovation field have the potential to strengthen current macro practice. Based on our experiences with the social innovation program at the Boston College School of Social Work, we focus on 5 aspects of the social innovation cycle and suggest social innovation content that can be incorporated into macro social work curriculum.     

Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion: Implications for Social Work Education

This article considers the importance of understanding poverty for social workers and the ways it is delivered on social work programmes. It reviews the context in which poverty is experienced by service users and social workers. It then goes on to consider the ways in which teaching about poverty has been approached in social work education. Drawing on the experiences of the authors of designing and delivering a module on social work, poverty and social exclusion on a postgraduate DipSW programme it considers an approach to developing poverty aware social work practice for social workers in training. Finally it discusses ways in which the new three year qualification for social work training might develop this subject more fully in ways that seek to combat poverty and social exclusion amongst social work service users.     

Is Social Work Really Being Recognized? Problems with Social Work Employment Opportunities in Mainland China

Since social work education was reintroduced in Chinese universities in the 1980s, there are 303 bachelor of social work programs and 62 master of social work programs. Yet, the development of social work positions has lagged behind. This study aimed to study the current development of social work employment opportunities in Mainland China through an empirical lens. Data on social work positions were collected from three employment websites over a 30-day period. Data on 248 social work job postings were analyzed using content analysis and ArcGIS spatial distribution analysis. We identified three problems in the current development of social work profession in China: inconsistency between government policy, social work education, and available jobs; geographic disparities of the distribution of social work jobs; and mismatch between social work education and social work employment opportunities. We provided implications to address each problem.     

Recognising and Enabling Social Workers to Promote Child Wellbeing and Protection

The paper explores the relevance of social enterprise to social work practice and policy development. Social enterprise refers to a broad set of approaches that use business acumen to address social goals. A marginal activity in social work for a long time, recently social enterprise has been thrust into the spotlight in debates about the future of social policy and community services. It is important that social workers understand the meaning and implications of social enterprise if they are to apply it critically and reflectively in practice and participate in contemporary debates about its relevance in promoting individual and community empowerment. The paper provides an overview of the meaning of social enterprise, outlines the reasons for the renewed focus on social enterprise and related concepts in social policy debates, particularly community economic development, and examines its underlying values. It concludes with a discussion of questions and concerns surrounding the implementation of social enterprise in Australia.     

SOCIAL WORK SCHOLARS' REPRESENTATION OF RAWLS: A CRITIQUE

Although Rawls is the most cited social justice theorist in social work, he is not always accurately represented in the literature. To clarify this claim, the author reviews social work scholars' views about social justice, shows social work scholars' representation of Rawls, and highlights aspects of Rawls' theory of social justice. The author's critique reveals that there have been and continue to be more differences than similarities between Rawls and social work scholars. Consequently, the article recommends revising the social work knowledge-base in relation to social justice and Rawls so that his ideas are authentically represented in future social work education and scholarship.     

以社会公正奠定社会安全的基础

中国社会现阶段,社会矛盾问题日益凸显。究其主要原因,是由于社会建设和社会管理的发展明显滞后于经济发展,特别是在社会建设和社会管理的核心内容亦即社会公正方面出现了明显的问题。社会公正是社会安全的基础,也是制度安排的基本依据。维护社会公正是缓解贫富差距的重要杠杆。社会公正有利于形成良性互动的社会结构。维护社会公正是形成橄榄型的社会结构的主要途径。只有维护并促进社会公正,才能有效地解决和缓解社会矛盾问题,确保中国社会的安全运行。     

Theory in social work—some reflections on understanding and explaining interventions Teori i socialt arbete—några reflektioner om att förstå och förklara interventioner

This article reflects on theory in social work. With a starting point in the contemporary discussion of evidence-based social work, we raise questions about the role of theory. To understand empirical data, we need theory. The arena of social work is an open field for many academic disciplines, and theories used for understanding social work are mostly imported from general social science. Theory has to be built on an empirical base, and in order to be regarded as a social work theory this empirical base should come from social interventions. Therefore, the challenge for social work is to develop theories of its own. Theory development in social work could be in contrast to existing non-theoretical research and conceptual models without a base in social facts, as well as to prevailing perspectives in social work practice, such as reflective social work. In this article we sketch a model of the field of knowledge in social work and elucidate the multifaceted aspects that exist in social work. Finally, we argue for an awareness of the levels, or social domains, in social work practice on the one hand and the scientific explanations on the other hand.     

Social work educators and social policy: a cross-professional perspective

This article seeks to contribute to the ongoing debate within European social work on the role of social work educators in influencing social policy. It reports on a study that examined the role of social work educators in furthering social policy by comparing Israeli social work educators’ engagement in policy with faculty members in professional schools with strong ties to social policy, namely education and healthcare. While the findings show some similarities between the three groups of educators, they also underscore marked differences between educators in social work and the other professions. In particular, social work educators are more involved in, and more committed to, social policy engagement than faculty members of other professional schools are. These divergences are attributed to the greater focus upon policy practice in social work and its prevalence in teaching programmes, as well as to the profession’s focus on disenfranchised clients, who are especially impacted by social policies.     

The uses of social science in the history of dutch social work, 1900–1980

In this paper the author reviews the history of Dutch social work between 1900 and 1980 and tries to shed light on how Dutch social workers enlisted various insights developed by the social sciences to gain jurisdiction in dealing with social problems. He argues against the simplistic idea that scientific knowledge is merely applied in practical settings such as social work. Social workers did not just apply scientific insights; they also used scientific insights strategically to demarcate their position from various opponents both inside and outside the profession. It is useful to differentiate between the reflexive and strategic uses of social sciences: reflexive means that new interpretations of the social world and the nature of social problems are offered which imply different ways of doing social work; strategic means that with these new interpretations new boundaries are created between social work and competing actors in the field of dealing with social problems.     

Ethnic ties: social capital and the question of mobilisability

This paper reflects on the concept of social capital through a discussion of the differential uses of ethnic ties for minority ethnic groups. It is argued that we should confine the notion of social capital to mobilisable social ties and networks. Resources such as those found in ethnic networks and bonds will only be social capital if they are mobilisable and usable in pursuing social advantage. This will only happen in the presence of a number of factors including the social valuation of the ethnic ties both within and outside the ethnic category, the social location of the actor (for example their gender) and the social context. The paper elaborates a concept of social capital which recognises the need to embed it within social hierarchies.     

Social Justice as Concept and Practice in Australian Social Work: An Analysis of Norma Parker Addresses, 1969–2008

Abstract

Social justice is central to Australian social work. Principles of social justice underpin the definition of social work as a profession, its code of ethics, and its standards of practice and education. However, there is a dearth of empirical research regarding what social justice has meant to social work over time and how it has been enacted in practice, topical as social inequalities continue to escalate. As a first-stage study, this paper examines how social justice was represented within 19 Norma Parker Addresses delivered by Presidents of the Australian Association of Social Workers at national conferences between 1969 and 2008. Two key themes were evident: social justice as a concept and social justice as social work practice. Social justice was represented conceptually throughout the Addresses as an enduring guiding principle and moral responsibility for social work. How social justice was enacted in practice included themes of: standpoint; practices and strategies; educating social workers; and contested and constrained practice. The meanings and practices of social justice were embedded within the changing contexts within which the Addresses were delivered. Further historical studies can inform social work knowledge, practice, and critical reflection as the profession continues to evolve and confront persistent social justice challenges.     

社会结构阶层化和利益关系市场化——中国社会管理面临的新挑战

社会建设和社会管理的核心是协调社会群体之间的利益矛盾与冲突,保持社会秩序。在新的历史时期,社会结构阶层化和利益关系市场化构成社会群体矛盾与冲突的基本特征;而整合日益分化的社会结构,正确处理市场化背景下权力和权利的问题,在很长时间内将是中国社会管理面临的新挑战。在发展阶段和转型路径的约束下,面对日益分化的社会阶层和日益深化的市场化程度,公开、参与、平衡是协调社会矛盾与冲突、重塑社会秩序的基本理念和方向。     

Social mobility and the interpretation of social class mortality differentials

The discussion of health inequalities in Britain (e.g. in the Black Report) has been conducted largely on the basis of social class mortality differentials measured by achieved social class and not by social class of origin. It is shown in this paper that social class mortality differentials by achieved social class are not invariant to the rate of social mobility and that the use of them is likely to result in a biased measure of trends in health inequalities when the absolute rate of social mobility varies over time. It is further shown that if, as is likely, health status is a factor systematically affecting the probability for an individual of upward or downward social mobility, then an increase in the rate of social mobility may well result in constant or widening social class mortality differentials by achieved social class even if the differentials are narrowing when measured by social class of origin. It is claimed that this process may well explain why the observed social class mortality differentials, which are measured by achieved social class, have not fallen in Britain during the post-1945 period.     

大学生社会性发展迟滞的质性研究

社会性发展迟滞的大学生在认知方面表现出辩证思维不够成熟、对社会问题的关注内容简单化、人际认识自我中心化、对自我缺乏思考与规划倾向;在情感方面表现出对社会矛盾性,对他人不懂得关心、感恩,对自己表现出低自尊的特点;在行为方面表现出独立性差、生活自理能力不足,社会适应困难、不敢担当、自我控制能力弱等特点。过度保护、纵容的家庭教养方式以及社会媒体的不良舆论导向、道德滑坡、学校教育的缺陷等,在大学生的社会性发展迟滞中起了重要影响。为了促进大学生的社会性良好发展,必须借助全社会的力量,从社会的文化观念、社会大环境、学校、家庭等多方面入手进行教育和引导。     

Social Solidarities

This study explores the concept of social solidarity by elaborating on five propositions about mutually supportive social relationships. These five propositions are that social solidarity was a key issue for the founding figures of the discipline of sociology in the 19th century; that this sociological interest in social solidarity has continued down to the present day; that in the development of sociological analyses of social solidarity there has also been fruitful engagement with neighbouring disciplines; that social solidarity can sometimes be associated with social problems as well as with desirable social outcomes; and that the nature and causes of social solidarity are matters of important on-going debate.     

The new old guard: Beliefs and values of members and nonmembers of societies for clinical social work

Opinions on educational and practice issues relating to clinical social work were solicited from three groups of professionally active, masters level social workers: (1) members of state societies for clinical social work [N=43]; (2) nonmember clinical social workers [N=38]; and (3) nonmember social workers who were not clinicans [N=20]. Results indicate that members of state societies for clinical social work firmly endorse traditional social work values, but differ systematically in their opinions from masters level clinicians who are not members of state societies for clinical social work, and from nonclinicians with masters degrees. Implications for formal organizations in social work are discussed.     

Teaching Critical Practice: Resisting Structural Domination through Critical Reflection

This paper explores some of the responsibilities and challenges that face social work educators who teach critical practice to social work students. It is suggested that using critical reflection may enhance social work educators' capacity to prepare practitioners to work towards progressive social change and social justice, despite current social trends, such as globalisation, which potentially marginalise critical practice. This paper provides a reflective account of my experiences of teaching critical reflection to undergraduate social work students, drawing on critical postmodern theoretical underpinnings. Related pedagogies will be discussed which outline experiential reflective learning. It is ultimately contended that critical reflection is an important part of social work education and practice that is committed to enhancing citizenship, human rights, social justice and social change ideals.