Shaping Canadian citizens: A historical study of Canadian multiculturalism and social work during the period from 1900 to 1999

Abstract

Canadian multiculturalism is a source of national pride and Canada’s national identity. Despite this, the marginalization of migrants, Indigenous, and non‐White Canadians has persisted while (re)constructing Canadian citizens and nationhood. Using a Foucauldian genealogical approach, we explored how the social work profession has addressed this paradox around shifting Canadian national identities and multiculturalism while developing its professionalization across various historical junctures in the 20th century. Our findings reveal that, since its inception, the social work profession has negotiated with dominant discourses. In the collective response as a profession, the omission of attention and subsequent inaction to exclusion and marginalization is apparent. However, through the construction of counter discourses, individual social workers’ resistance to social injustice has been noteworthy. Identifying and documenting these counter discourses across significant historical periods thus contributes to rewriting Canadian social work history that reinvigorates our social work core values of justice and respect for all.Key Practitioner Message: • The study provides a critical analysis of the history of Canadian Social Work practice in relation to multiculturalism; • It can be used for pedagogical purposes (critical discussion and evaluation); • It raises awareness of historical social work blind spots.