The myth of neutrality: toward a courageous, justice-oriented social work praxis

Thinking Problems

Ranging from a multicultural approach to models of cultural sensitivity and cultural competency, social work education has historically avoided challenging the power of racism in shaping inequity in the United States. We argue that integrating critical race theory (CRT) in social work education decenters whiteness, counters color-evasive racism in education, and centers anti-racist ideas and practices. CRT provides social work educators with a framework that explicitly addresses race and racism while challenging social work students to self-reflect critically on their own experiences with privilege and oppression. Further, it enables social work students and practitioners to analyze race and other systems of oppression structurally. This manuscript offers an overview of how CRT is integrated across an MSW curriculum to better prepare social work students to engage in anti-racist social work practice. We describe specific examples of how CRT is infused into the curriculum in theory and practice courses. We conclude with an acknowledgment that CRT is not without limitations and call for more empirical research that assesses the effectiveness of CRT’s application to social work praxis.

For students who are actively engaged in social justice efforts on their college/university campuses, the transition from a relatively easy platform for engagement to the “real world” can pose significant challenges and create new realities for negotiation. Little is known, however, about the nature of these transitions into post-graduate social justice experiences. Drawing on an open-ended survey of recent graduates (92 respondents, 50% response rate) from a social justice minor in a school of social work, we explore the ways in which respondents described their transitions into social justice work, focusing on a set of key challenges that emerged from our analysis and reflecting on the implications of these challenges for social work practice and future research. Understanding some of the challenges in making this transition will help social work and non-profit administrators to better support this population’s future volunteer, service, and employment needs.

This chapter introduces the concept of Critical Race Theory (CRT), highlights its importance in discussing contemporary race issues, and discusses CRT’s fit with the mission of social work. It deals with examples of how CRT can be applied to social work education, practice, research, and policy. According to CRT, racial minorities made limited progress following the civil rights era because issues of race and racism are deeply engrained in policies and social processes. CRT is a relevant discourse because of the persistent racial disparities across social and economic domains. The use of CRT in social work education provides a framework for educators to not just discuss the intersection of diverse backgrounds, but also the intersecting struggles that people face as a result of their different social locations. The CRT tenet of race being a social construct focuses our attention on how populations and problems are negatively socially constructed.

At the heart of local government administration and the inherent ability to deliver core services to the people is a progressive and responsive policy that is inclusive of the social values of society. This manuscript examines the nexus between indigent policy and the challenges local governments face, focusing on the Amathole District Municipality (ADM) in South Africa. Grounded in Critical Race Theory (CRT), the study investigates how indigent policies intersect with socioeconomic disparities, drawing on secondary data sources and African theoretical perspectives. It highlights historical and contemporary factors shaping these policies and their impact on marginalised communities, revealing systemic inequalities within them. This paper employed an interpretivism paradigm and a qualitative approach, and it relied on secondary data that was analysed through themes. The study underscores the importance of inclusive and responsive policies in addressing core service delivery and societal values. While acknowledging the indigent policy’s role in alleviating inequality and poverty, it identifies shortcomings in addressing unemployment. Recommendations include concurrent implementation of the policy with social grants, local economic development, and public works programs, alongside community empowerment and long-term monitoring for sustainable socioeconomic development. By offering insights for policymakers, practitioners, and scholars, the research contributes to evidence-based policymaking and social justice efforts in South Africa. It emphasizes the need for holistic approaches that prioritize equity and social justice, fostering inclusive and sustainable development.

Race and Social Policy, edited by Sandra Edmonds Crewe, views current-day racism toward Black Americans in the United States through the lens of critical race theory, the concept that systemic racism permeates laws, policies, and institutions. With its legal origins, critical race theory can also provide a framework for understanding social policy because it relates to racism. In the medical field, this theory may be a less well-known concept which readers can be introduced to integrate into their practice and understanding of the impact of policy decisions. This book includes 12 articles from a special edition of the journal Social Work in Public Health first published in 2019 (volume 34, issue 1). These articles were mostly written by social workers with a focus that would be most beneficial to social workers. Other disciplines involved in developmental and behavioral pediatric care may find them useful in understanding the social context around racial issues through the lens of critical race theory. These chapters investigate the bidirectional effects of social policy and racism in the United States beginning with the slave trade, emphasizing the importance of taking a historical perspective. Topics examined include poverty, the workplace, media, housing, elections, education, welfare, fatherhood, disability, justice, the elderly, and the Christian church. The first chapter provides an overview which most readers could find helpful in deciding which additional chapters may be most interesting and relevant to their practice. For example, as a pediatric clinician, the chapter on Black fathers was enlightening. Specifically, it connected current family structures with historical context, emphasizing the ways slavery devalued the family unit and led to mothers taking on the sole caregiving role. The book calls its readers to action and provides some suggested policy changes. For example, the welfare chapter recommends collecting racial demographic data, and the chapter on education highlights the importance of recruiting Black and Latinx teachers. However, some readers may expect and hope for more recommendations in all chapters. By including only, the original journal articles published in 2019, the authors have missed many opportunities for editing these articles to fit the audience of 2023 and beyond. Noting, for example, the racial disparities highlighted by COVID-19 and the murder of George Floyd in 2020, a multitude of events since 2019 have made prominent the impact of systemic racism in the United States. Acknowledgement and analysis of these major incidents using a critical race theory frame would strengthen the text for readers in the present day. Furthermore, since the journal's publication in 2019, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of using equitable and inclusive language. In the past few years, many professional clinical organizations including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Medical Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have embraced and distributed guidelines for more equitable and inclusive language. However, this text does not acknowledge these language changes over time. Notably, chapter 9 “Inequities in Family Quality of Life for African American Families Raising Children with Disabilities” includes the use of the outdated term, “mental retardation,” which is now perceived as pejorative. While the data presented in the chapter were collected in 2011 before the publication of the DSM-5, it was unsettling to read the term in a book published in 2023 with no explicit acknowledgement of the way language has progressed over the past decade. A book emphasizing critical race theory and the marginalization of Black Americans should also be sensitive to the experiences of other marginalized groups. For health care professionals, critical race theory provides a framework for understanding the systemic racial inequities their patients continue to face. This book examines current social policy and provides some useful suggestions for improvements in policy to create a more equitable and racially sensitive society, but it could benefit from being updated to provide readers with more current information. Furthermore, for those affiliated with a university, these articles may be available in databases to which their universities subscribe. With limited modifications made since 2019, the book and journal articles are nearly the same.

In this article, I ask ‘What are the specific challenges and controversies that birth mothers of ethnic minorities (EM) experience in the safeguarding context’? The aim is to examine safeguarding practices and ascertain how power, racism and gender oppression are understood and experienced by mothers of EMs in social work. The literature highlighted complexities and ethical concerns regarding child protection services with EMs in England. Undertaking qualitative research, a case study approach was used, and purposive sampling was applied to recruit and interview six mothers of EM backgrounds. This article provides an empowering space for Miriam, an Asian mum recounting her lived experiences of statutory social work. Critical theory, critical race theory and intersectionality were the theoretical frameworks, and a framework approach was utilised for data analysis. Key findings revealed the insidious nature of racism, oppression and White dominance, constructing devastating, adversarial work practices that oppressed, excluded, and deprived Miriam. There was an urgent need for change. Drawing on my African heritage, I theorise that the Afro-centric philosophy of Sawubona could make a profound contribution to British social work. Elucidating, ‘I see the whole of you’, the Sawubona practice model illustrates social work values of equality, empathy, dignity, tolerance and respect.

The escalating attacks on Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the United States (U.S.) threaten social work’s commitment to justice and equity. Rooted in a history that has centered white supremacy, the profession must actively challenge dominant narratives and push for the integration of CRT in social work education. Framing CRT within cultural humility moves the field beyond the limitations of cultural competency, fostering critical self-reflection, lifelong learning, and power-conscious practice. This paper argues that embracing CRT through a cultural humility lens is a necessary step in decolonizing the social work curriculum, resisting political intimidation, and equipping future practitioners to dismantle systemic oppression. Social work cannot afford neutrality—it must be an active force for change.

Critical race theory (CRT) provides a framework for examining power structures that maintain racial inequities and developing strategies for action and change. Though social work acknowledges racial disparities and the role of racism when identifying and attempting to ameliorate social problems, the profession has not fully incorporated CRT. This article introduces CRT, articulates its alignment with social work's professional mission and values, describes its central tenets, and applies the tenets to racial disparities within three areas of practice particularly relevant for social work: child welfare system involvement, receipt of public assistance, and access to mental health treatment. CRT's broader implications for social work practice are identified and discussed.

Over the past several years, the media has given greater attention to unarmed Blacks murdered by members of law enforcement. Even though African Americans comprise 13% of the population in the United States, they are disproportionately more likely to die at the hands of police. Many scholars highlight racism is the root of this violence. The premature deaths of unarmed African Americans have resulted in increased attention on anti-racism and social justice efforts, particularly within many Social Work programs in the United States. Since social justice, dignity and worth of the person, and the importance of human relationships are core values within the field of Social Work (National Association of Social Workers), we will examine how social workers may perpetuate racism by engaging in practices that are harmful to oppressed populations. In addition, we will discuss SGI Nichiren Buddhist principles and practices that could be incorporated into social work education and training to lessen the likelihood that social workers will contribute to the problem of racism. Furthermore, we will discuss how social workers can help train members of law enforcement to engage in anti-racist practices. Ultimately, we will examine principles of SGI Nichiren Buddhism that can inform social work’s commitment to anti-racism and social justice.

Growing concerns arise over the effectiveness of cultural competency and humility in addressing systemic racism in social work. Scholars advocate for the incorporation of critical race theory (CRT) into social work education; however, its polarization creates uncertainty. This systematized review synthesizes the contemporary use of CRT in social work curricula. Comprehensive searches were conducted and sixteen peer-reviewed studies met the inclusion criteria, representing BSW, MSW, and PhD education. Three roles for CRT within social work were identified: (a) understanding systemic racism, (b) an alternative model to cultural competence, and (c) the inclusion of CRT into the social work curriculum or specific courses. Benefits and barriers are also identified. To align with social work values, social work should consider the integration of CRT across the curriculum.

Midwestern Studies Meets Critical Race TheoryNotes on Imagining the Heartland Jon K. Lauck Britt E. Halvorson and Joshua O. Reno, Imagining the Heartland: White Supremacy and the American Midwest. Oakland: University of California Press, 2022. 218 pp. $85.00 (hardcover), $29.95 (paper). As readers of this journal know better than anyone, the last decade has witnessed a concerted effort to promote and revive Midwestern studies. As consumers of the news in recent years know, the ideas underpinning Critical Race Theory have increasingly been debated in the public square after years of mostly percolating underground in the academy and adjacent institutions. Now comes a direct meeting of the worlds of Midwestern studies and Critical Race Theory in the form of a book published by the University of California Press, which is based in Oakland, California. It is titled Imagining the Heartland: White Supremacy and the American Midwest and was authored by two anthropologists, one at Colby College in Maine and the other at Binghamton University in New York. In a bit of stage-setting, the University of California Press announces in the book that it "publishes bold progressive books … with a focus on social justice issues—that inspire thought and action among readers worldwide."1 Imagining the Heartland affords an opportunity to consider whether Critical Theory generally, and Critical Race Theory (CRT) in particular, can help us understand the Midwest more completely and accurately or if the reverse is true. At this stage of the discussion, the CRT approach to the study of the Midwest, if this book is a reliable guide, suffers from weaknesses that will cloud our ability to see the region in its fullness and complexity. It serves as a broader warning about the problems associated with Critical Theory more generally and should be a reminder of the importance of relying on more [End Page 126] fruitful ways of examining the history of the Midwest. These include, most importantly, a dedication to collecting and examining the particular facts on the ground when interpreting the Midwestern past and placing them in historical and comparative context with limited use of theories which can predetermine conclusions. At a minimum, before it is widely adopted, CRT and its application in Midwestern studies should be the subject of a robust discussion which can begin in this journal. This discussion will continue in future issues. It should be explained up front that Imagining the Heartland does not rely on original research nor the kind of ethnographic study once-common to anthropology. The book relies on secondary publications, from academic studies to media reports to aspects of popular culture, and analyzes them through the lens of Critical Theory and seeks to explain and critique how other writers and artists have imagined or talked about the Midwest. Critical Theory is not the same as thinking critically about evidence when interpreting the past, an exercise we should all embrace.2 Critical Theory, for the uninitiated, was primarily developed by the Marxists who organized the Frankfurt School of social analysis in Germany in the early twentieth-century and who later, to escape the Nazis, moved its operations to the United States.3 During the last third of the twentieth century, Critical Theory in its various forms became highly influential in humanities and social science departments at American universities. From the general debates and ideas within Critical Theory emerged the more focused CRT, which was made prominent by Derrick Bell at Harvard Law School, in addition to other law professors. Bell and his allies promoted activism and, for them, CRT recognized that "revolutionizing a culture begins with a radical assessment of it" and predicted that "scholarly resistance will lay the groundwork for wide-scale resistance."4 A deep background in the adoption and development of Critical Theory in the academy and an understanding of these goals are helpful when reading this book because that is the source of its ideas and language. This grounding in Critical Theory is important to understand when delving into Imagining the Heartland because the book is quite distinct from some of the research that takes place in Midwestern studies. A good deal of the work in Midwestern history is grounded in studying...

Critical Race Theory (CRT) is both a theoretical and practical framework, which promotes a space to deeply engage in discourses of race. CRT highlights the importance of conceptualizing race, racism, power dynamics and structural inequalities. Although the social work profession emphasizes the importance of integrating cultural and racial diversity into social work education, practice and research, the integration of CRT within social work will promote racial competency essential for social work professionals. This article reviewed 14 social work peer-reviewed articles exploring the need to integrate Critical Race Theory.

This book presents an expansive collection of case studies focused on Critical Race Theory (CRT), offering insights into understanding racial oppression and its societal impacts. Featuring contributions from expert practitioner–scholars, chapters introduce core tenets of CRT and explore how CRT can be applied across a range of different contexts, providing practical examples of how CRT can be implemented into the curriculum. By dividing its case studies at the micro, mezzo, and macro level, the text demonstrates how CRT is relevant for different levels of social work practice and contributes to ongoing movements to apply an anti-oppressive approach into all areas of social work. The first book of its kind, this is an essential resource for anyone seeking to develop their knowledge and explore how CRT can be used to enhance social work practice across a range of different settings.

This manuscript is born from contemplating and exploring how it is that we see so little systemic change in STEM education after so many years of working toward it, including the insidious persistence of systems of oppression, and historical and generational exploitation that our current critical, social justice efforts in STEM teacher preparation programs are ineffective and ill‐equipped at changing or dismantling. Starting from an explanatory frame of Freire's conundrum of the oppressed, we theorize toward a more complex notion of ideological change. Through the novel reflexive discourse of a loving (self) critique, we interrogate our own individual failures to construct a better theoretical understanding of them. Using self‐reflections and other examples, we theorize an imperative of continued ideological growth and development to more authentically step forward in our STEM education equity and social justice work.