Returning to the teaching of human rights for social work. Lessons learned in Chile from the last 50-30-5 years

Abstract

ABSTRACT How should we teach recent history to uncover the links between social work and human rights? To answer this question, we critically analyze recent events in Chile with an emphasis on the training process of social work students. A series of recent events have revived the debate on memory, the guarantee of non-repetition, and human rights. The estallido social (2019), attempts to reform the constitution inherited from the military dictatorship, and the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the coup (2023) all confirm the importance of training policies, remembrance, and teaching practices in transmitting to new generations the experience gained while assisting victims of human rights violations and crimes against humanity. We review three time frames, which we illustrate through interviews and examples of collaborative and teaching work that contextualize social work education in human rights, exploring possible ways to promote remembrance and support the search for truth, justice, and guarantees of non-repetition. Lastly, based on our findings, we propose key training and research topics that can be implemented in undergraduate and graduate education in the region.