Navigating Political Disagreement in Social Work: An Analysis of Past Literature, Ethical Guidance, and Case Examples

Abstract

Political advocacy is a core tenet of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics. As a profes-sion, social work has the responsibility to remain aware of trends that threaten the well- being of diverse populations. Th e historic connection between oppression and policy is undeniable, and the standards and principles in the Code of Ethics require social workers to intervene and be aware of political trends. However, at times, social workers’ political views may not refl ect the clients’ views. Navigating situations in which a client expresses political content with the social worker requires careful consideration and improvements in the available guidance. Prior literature addresses the political confl ict in Israel, Palestine, and Northern Ireland during times of extreme tension in those cultures. Yet, stark contrasts between the United States and those cultures exist, thus justifying the need for specifi c guidance for U.S. social workers. Currently, the state of society and social work in the United States requires social workers to dedicate increased attentiveness to these types of situations. As such, the connection between social work and political action is undeniable and worthy of further investigation. To do so, two relevant case examples from a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) will be assessed in which guidance from the NASW Code of Ethics, existing approaches, and prior literature will be applied. Th e evaluation of these case examples is intended to inform the decisions of other U.S.- based social workers confronting political disagreement with clients in direct practice work.