Justice Views in Social Work Project: Examining Views on Race and Justice

Abstract

ABSTRACT Advocacy for social justice is a core duty of the social work profession. Social injustice, oppression, and marginalization in the United States demand that social workers critically evaluate and address systemic oppression, in the profession, society, and social work education. This study sought to explore the attitudes of social work students in institutions of higher education in one Midwestern state concerning social justice, systemic racism, race relations, and policing to measure the impact of social work educational programming on promoting anti-oppressive and anti-racist practice. Survey responses from undergraduate and graduate students (n = 74) from two universities in an upper, Midwestern state were analyzed to assess attitude and beliefs on social justice, policing, and racial relations. Results indicate the majority of students endorsed an understanding of injustice in the world and high perceptions of themselves as advocates and agents of social change. Alternatively, students’ responses to items regarding a general belief in the world as providing just rewards and punishments were neutral. These results suggest the need for increased examination of the implicit and explicit curriculum. The use of Critical Race Theory, decolonization practices for higher education which includes diversifying perspectives in course materials and learning activities among other practices, and modeling of the positionality of self by social work instructors is examined.