Political Social Work in the United States

Abstract

Political social work (hereafter PSW) is a specific term used to describe early-21st-century social work scholars and practitioners influencing policymaking by exercising power within electoral politics. Aimed at achieving social justice, social work is fundamentally political. The word political, however, has a complexity of meanings that enable both specificity and breadth. Political can be used as it relates specifically to policy practice, which is understood as a macro social work method of practice involved in policymaking processes. Political can also refer to politicized social work more broadly, which utilizes critical theories of power within all methods and fields of practice. While social workers have practiced political methods throughout the profession’s history, the term political social work first emerged in the United States during the 1980s with two distinct definitions—one related closely to policy practice and the other more akin to politicized social work. The contemporary conceptualization of PSW, introduced within the past decade, combines both. This current definition draws from politicized social work’s emphasis on political power and inclusion of all practice levels in order to expand policy practice. Thus, political social workers, whether generalist or specialist, engage with power dynamics across the various aspects of the policymaking process, with an emphasis on electoral politics. PSW involves social workers influencing social policy by exercising their power through policy practice (e.g., lobbying and policy advocacy) and within electoral politics (e.g., voting and voter engagement, working on political campaigns and within legislative offices, and holding elected office). Given the vast amount of social work resources on policy practice (also referred to as policy advocacy) and the relatively limited social work literature regarding electoral politics, this article focuses on PSW’s electoral-related channels that expand policy practice. PSW endorses nonpartisan political practices that are argued to be particularly applicable of social workers’ ethics and expertise related to empowering marginalized individuals and communities. PSW education and scholarship seek to infuse greater focus on social workers’ electoral-related political participation, voter engagement, and seeking elected office. PSW aims to increase the profession’s election-related participation by encouraging practitioners and students to include and improve their knowledge, experience, and perceptions of policy practice and electoral politics as part of their professional social work identities and roles.