Social Work Research, Education, and Practice

Abstract

This chapter provides readers with a list of suggestions of how social work education, practice, and research will need to be transformed in order to achieve social justice when the state is a primary source of violence. Social work’s social justice approach requires that it be addressed across the entire intervention and lifespan spectrum, occupying a central role in our education. This broad reach is a blessing and curse from an educational standpoint. It is a blessing because social justice is integral to our mission and its importance reaches all aspects of social work. It is a curse by requiring that practice have this as a central tenet, ruffling feathers in our work with other professions not sharing this value stance. Social work is in a unique position to move a social justice agenda during this challenging period in our history. We must, however, guard against “good” deeds going astray and causing more harm than good.