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Political ideology, shaped by both social identity and policy preferences, may influence how social work students define and approach social justice. This study examines how the political ideology of conservative and moderate social work students relates to their attitudes about the poor, attributions for poverty, and preferred ways to address poverty. Findings demonstrate that those with more conservative ideologies held more negative perspectives of the poor, were more likely to attribute poverty to individual fault, and supported more limited interventions. Unpacking political ideology in the classroom is critical in understanding our power within practice. Further research should consider how social workers' political ideology affects their work with clients and dedication to the social and economic justice mission of social work.

History, the major storehouse of information, informs us about the important relationship between people and society and increases our understanding of basic societal values and institutional arrangements. A recent New York Times op-ed described "The Dangerous Decline of the Historical Profession." Likewise for historical content in social work education, exacerbated by the 1970s' rise of neoliberalism and the profession's long marginalization of historical research and teaching. The Social Welfare History Group renews its call to bring historical content back into social work education and to correct its deep-seated race, class, gender, and colonizing distortions. To ensure that all social work courses include history, we can revive the value historical knowledge; prepare a cadre of historical researchers and instructors; financially support emerging scholars and develop a pipeline of history-informed faculty to teach the next generation of social workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the research regarding Hmong-American women as first-generation college students (FGCS) has grown, it emphasizes cultural and individual factors, neglecting institutional and systemic factors that may mediate academic success. Using an ethnographic and phenomenological approach, interviews were conducted with six female Hmong-American FGCS to address the following question: What factors promote and impede success in higher education? Applying grounded theory data analysis method, four categories of themes emerged: complex culture clash, higher education institution experience, supports for success, and changing view of higher education. Future research is recommended regarding the interface and impact of specific aspects of education, as well as a needed focus on male students' experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United States' present neoliberal era shares with earlier tumultuous periods significant repressive tendencies in the political and economic domains. In the past, leading social workers confronted such crises in public forums and venues. This discourse analysis examines how they constructed compelling democratic narratives that influenced the enactment of beneficial social policy within three periods of democratic crisis. These social work leaders were members of presidential administrations, leaders of social work professional associations, directors of civil society organizations, and prominent writers for the profession or the public. They communicated through public and professional speeches, peer-reviewed articles, pamphlets, radio addresses, and congressional testimony. Discourse analysis reveals democratic themes such as autonomy, human dignity, equality, recognition, fostering of human capacity, social responsibility, and the necessity of moral contemplation. The historical lesson is that all social workers today should advance democratic discourse in their areas of influence to stem neoliberalism and promote democracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While macro practice activities are essential for social work, macro practice has been deemphasized in recent decades in many countries. Efforts to elevate macro practice have typically involved focusing on various social work education interventions. This article proposes that adopting a grand challenges approach in social work is an alternative method for elevating macro practice social work. The article first provides an overview of the grand challenges approach, which has been adopted by many disciplines internationally to enliven their fields, and then discusses how it is inherently a macro practice approach that can both strengthen the field of social work overall, as well as center macro practice within the field. The article also discusses and critiques how social work has adopted such an approach in the United States and suggests additional considerations for other countries in adopting this approach. Particular attention is on the importance of macro practice skills in implementing such an an initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alexander (2012) argues that the corrections system relegates African American men to permanent second class status. Although social work has advanced the democratic project, African Americans often have had to forge a parallel social assistance system. In a community environmental scan, the authors apply the Citizenship Social Work framework to assess availability of services, supports, and advocacy efforts to address civil, political, social and economic rights for African American men with felony convictions. The authors find that a number of social work services are available, but the majority focus on social and economic rights, rather than civil and political rights, perhaps emphasizing professional service over social justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eighty-four welfare participants were interviewed regarding the state of Minnesota's welfare-to-work program. Outcomes for Hmong, Somali, and Latino immigrants were compared with those for African American, American Indian, and European American citizens. Measures included extent and level of employment, wages, accessibility to transportation, education and training, and health insurance coverage. Immigrants fared worse than the other groups on almost all measures. Practice implications include strengthening immigrants' access to resources and providing opportunities through social network development with immigrant and nonimmigrant groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]