Description
Social Work and Social Justice transcends discussions of abstract social justice concepts and goals by focusing on how these concepts can be used as guides for socially just practice at the interpersonal, organizational, community, and societal levels. In addition to emphasizing the importance of social justice work through compelling examples, case studies, and exercises, this book vividly illustrates its complexity and discusses how social workers can negotiate the practical and ethical challenges involved. Unlike many books on the subject, the text integrates diverse and often conflicting approaches to social justice to promote critical thinking and underscore the value of incorporating various perspectives into one's practice. Other distinguishing features include: its emphasis on the complementary nature of socially just goals and processes; its use of well-developed case examples, often drawn from the authors' experience; and the authors' reflection on the implications of these examples from both "micro" and "macro" perspectives, along with a discussion of how practitioners with diverse understandings of social justice might interpret the case. Social Work and Social Justice is based on the authors' extensive teaching and practice experience in a wide variety of fields, both in the U.S. and internationally, and on their research on such varied topics as welfare reform, mental health, social work practice theory, social work values and ethics, and the history and philosophy of social welfare and social work. It is undeniably a must-have resource for students and faculty in undergraduate and graduate social work programs, as well as practitioners in social work and the human services.
Table of Contents
Part IChapter 1: Introduction: Background, Themes, and GoalsChapter 2: Alternative Concepts of Social JusticeChapter 3: Social Justice and the Social Work ProfessionChapter 4: Theories and Concepts Underlying Socially Just PracticePart IIChapter 5: Social Justice and Individual and Family ChangeBy Charles D. Garvin and Edith LewisChapter 6: Socially Just Group Work PracticeBy Charles D. Garvin and Robert M. OrtegaChapter 7: Socially Just Organizational PracticeChapter 8: Working with Communities to Promote Social JusticeChapter 9: Creating and Implementing Socially Just PoliciesChapter 10: Socially Just Research and EvaluationGlossaryReferencesIndex
