Spirituality In Social Work Education Research Articles

Insights From a CSWE Summit for Critical Conversations on Religion, Faith, and Spirituality in Social Work Education

ABSTRACT The role of religion and spirituality within social work education has varied throughout the profession’s history, with recent research calling for increased attention to this area of diversity. In response, the Council on Social Work Education hosted and sponsored the 2021 Summit for Critical Conversations on Religion, Faith, and Spirituality in Social Work Education and Practice, with each of the coauthors serving as presenters and facilitators. This article presents the Summit’s main insights regarding the history of the profession, explicit and implicit curricula, faculty development, and implications. This article also explains the planning that led up to the summit and subsequent related activity. The authors provide suggestions and resources to support social work faculty in teaching about religion and spirituality.

Incorporating spirituality in social work education in Nigeria

In recent times, spirituality, as typified by the religion has been on the receiving end of scathing criticisms. Although seducing, the arguments of these critics seem romanticized and flawed for the very reason that there abound natural synergies between spirituality and social development. Consequently, this article addresses the interconnections between spirituality, the social work profession, and social development. Drawing on the holistic intervention strategies of the religious organizations to national development while, concurrently, canvassing for the integration of spirituality to social work education. Given the palpable mistrusts between the faith-based organizations and the State, feasible suggestions are offered to the Nigerian political leadership to ensure that the religion, and by extension spirituality, continues to provide the citizens a pathway for meaningful living as a precondition for national development.

Religion and spirituality as a core module in social work education in Nigeria: perspectives of social work educators

ABSTRACT Religion and spirituality are central to everyday life in Nigeria. Social work educators recognize that learning cannot be separated from the influence of context, including religion and spirituality. This study presents the first empirical inquiry into religion and spirituality in social work education in Nigeria. The qualitative study explored the inclusion of religion and spirituality on Nigerian social work programs from the viewpoints of social work educators, adopting a phenomenological approach. Data from key informants’ semi-structured interviews with 12 purposively sampled social work educators based at three Nigerian universities (University of Nigeria, Nsukka; University of Benin, and Nnamdi Azikiwe University) were analyzed thematically. The findings highlight the importance of religion and spirituality in social work education; yet point to coverage being limited and located within elective modules, and for social work educators to recognize the relevance of religious and spiritual aspects of their students’ and service users’ existence in developing educational curricula. The study calls for prioritizing the integration of religion and spirituality in social work degree programs. Strengthening the links between religion, spirituality, and social work will better prepare future practitioners to be cultural component and work with the profession’s values of social justice.

Religion and spirituality in social work in Uganda: Lessons for social work education

ABSTRACT There is a conspicuous silence about the role of religion and spirituality in social work in Uganda, yet they are critical components in the lives of social workers and their clients. The authors’ collective experience of social work education in Uganda, South Africa, Sweden, the UK, and Australia affirmed to an absence of content on religion and spirituality in social work education. Most universities in Uganda incorporate little content on spirituality resulting in graduates ill-equipped to handle spiritually-related issues with their clients and communities. Authors conducted a content analysis of the narratives in their PhD theses to explore the inextricable connection between spirituality and social work practice in Uganda. From the common findings, the authors conceptualise an African Spiritually Sensitive Practice-Theory and a reflective tool for social workers in education and practice. The paper draws on lessons from research arguing for the incorporation of indigenous knowledge and African spirituality to inform the social work curriculum in Uganda.

Integration of Faith and Spirituality in Social Work Education

This research systematically synthesizes the conceptual understanding, guiding theological, or denominational orientations, and the most promising pedagogical models for integrating faith and spirituality into social work education curricula. Accordingly, we reviewed published peer-reviewed journals in the last 35 years (1985-2020). This systematic review answers three main research questions: 1) What is the array of conceptual definitions of faith and spirituality integration in social work education; 2) Are there theological, and or, denominational orientations influencing the definitions, and integration, of faith and spirituality in social work education? and; 3) What are the available pedagogical models for integrating faith and spirituality into social work education? A conclusion is presented with implications for pedagogy, research, and policy in Christian social work programs

Worldview Diagnostic Scale: Educational Instrument for Enhanced Pedagogy on Religion and Spirituality in Social Work Education

The academic literature has identified the urgent need for training competency-based social workers on issues of religion and spirituality. The academic institutions, however, have not responded to this need with curricula inclusion and classroom pedagogy on the subject. This study offers a concrete methodology that attempts to bridge the identified gap. The introduced Worldview Diagnostic Scale (WDS) is a classroom instrument for enhanced pedagogy for teaching on religion and spirituality in social work education.

Spirituality and social work: Introducing a spiritual dimension into social work education and practice

Against a background of growing international interest in the place of spirituality in social work education and practice, this paper describes a qualitative study of the spiritual expe- riences of non-Māori social work students at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, and the application of spirituality to their practice as social workers. The study found that both the programme and Wānanga environment enhanced and deepened participants’ own spirituality and flowed through into their practice. Elements of the Wānanga programme which contributed to the students’ spiritual development are identified, along with a discussion of the influence of the bicultural nature of the programme and take pū on their practice.

Worldview Pedagogy for Integration of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work Education

The study applies worldview diagnostic scale (WDS) as a classroom instrument for enhanced pedagogy for teaching on religion and spirituality in social work education. A sample of 110 Masters of Social Work (MSW) alumni and 154 MSW students was used to investigate: 1) differences in worldviews on human nature and social justice between clinical and community concentration MSW students; and 2) diversity of positions on theological, epistemological, ontological, axiological and deontological issues as related to social work practice. These were compared to MSW alumni to determine spheres of differences between trainees and graduates from the same institution. The results served as a foundation on which the integration of religion and spirituality in social work education was built. They derived the conclusion that a worldview system is a stable structure that does not easily yield to outside influences.

Space for Cultural and Spiritual Experiences in Social Work Education and Clinical Training

In general education, European American values stand as the unacknowledged norm and are perceived as being culturally neutral or culture free. By recognizing European American culture and spirituality as one of many diversities, social work students may better identify biased values and expectations inherent in the traditional monocultural and monospiritual approach. By providing space for European American culture and spirituality in social work education, among many others, intersubjective interactions become possible. While recognizing the increasing needs of multicultural/multispiritual heritage populations, in this article, the author reexamines cultural and spiritual competencies, focusing on relational issues that are not currently emphasized enough because of a strong conceptual association of competency with knowledge and skills-based practices.

For and against: The use of a debate to address the topic of religion and spirituality in social work education

This article will provide an account of research undertaken in relation to a single session on an MA in Social Work course, which featured a debate on the place of religion in social work. Research on the session was conducted through the use of two focus groups with participants and also through the use of a questionnaire completed by the whole student group immediately after the debate. Material from the research was presented in a workshop in the Seventh International Conference for Practice Learning and Field Education in Health and Social Work in York in July 2008. This article analyses excerpts from the debate itself, the focus groups and material from the questionnaire (appended). Whilst using a debate is an interesting starting point for addressing this topic it has both advantages and disadvantages as shall be seen. The article builds on Gregory and Holloway's (2005) work on the use of debates in social work education and also draws on a broader framework for social work education published recently by colleagues at the University of Sussex (Lefevre et al., 2008). The article highlights the lack of work published concerning how the topic of religion and spirituality is addressed in social work education and offers the debate as the start of a way forward.

A Multiparadigmatic Approach to Religion in Social Work Education

The attention given to faith-based human services in the past decade has created interest in pedagogical models of the ethical integration of spirituality, religion and social work practice. Following a discussion of philosophical, theoretical, and theological perspectives, this paper explores different sociological paradigms of knowledge and practice that may be of value when seeking to utilize spiritual and religious content into social work education. The implications of this article relate to educational settings that seek to incorporate content on religion and spirituality in social work education as well as to social work practice in religious organizations.

Practical Mysticism, Habermas, and Social Work Praxis

• Summary: Mysticism holds that there is an unseen non-empirical reality which is just as important in people's lives as concrete, observable reality and experience. Practical mysticism implies that this unseen reality results in concrete experience and a particular kind of knowing which is just as influential on people's actions and behaviour as observable reality. The authors draw a connection between practical mysticism and the increasing interest in themes relating to religion and spirituality in social work. These themes relate mainly to issues of meaning, motivation and intention in social work. Like all service professions, social work is undergoing re-evaluation away from merely pragmatic and instrumentalist conceptions of its mission to ones concerned with broader issues of meaning and purpose. In this context, issues of religious and spiritual motivation and intention become relevant. • Findings: We propose that `practical mysticism', arguably revived in Habermasian critical theory, has particular relevance to debates relating to the role of religion and spirituality in social work education and practice. Importantly, practical mysticism has the effect of impelling a rethinking of the relationship between spirituality, religion and the applied values inherent in day-to-day social work practice. We see the consideration of practical mysticism to be a fruitful way of embracing religious and spiritual discourses relevant to social work, including their link with social work ethics and practice. • Applications : When combined with Habermasian critical and communicative action theories, a practical mystical approach to social work impels a practice (or praxis ) with enhanced potential to motivate the actions of social workers themselves, including in their sensitivity to the religious and spiritual motivations and needs of their clients, and so their capacity to engage more effectively with these clients.

Religion and spirituality in social work practice and education in a cross-cultural context: findings from a Norwegian and UK study

As service populations have changed, social workers in Norway and the UK have responded to the needs of diverse cultures, which often include issues of religion and spirituality. Members of the Norwegian Union of Social Educators and Social Workers (FO) and the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) were sampled to explore attitudes regarding the placement of religion and spirituality in practice and education. UK workers were generally more accepting of religion and spirituality than their Norwegian colleagues. Factors such as secularism, differences in the educational systems, and different historical trajectories in the profession's development may contribute to differences between the UK and Norway. The authors recommend additional research in each country regarding the role of religion and spirituality in social work education and practice, the general culture, the bureaucratic delivery of social services, client and social worker interactions, and in the stratification of social class.

Thinking Outside the Box: Religion and Spirituality in Social Work Education and Practice

Social work education in the UK has been generally mistrustful and suspicious as far as religion and spirituality are concerned, and at times actively hostile. This has partly been the result of social work needing to find its feet and its place as a respectable academic discipline in its own right. In achieving this goal, it took on board some of the scepticism about religion and spirituality found in some aspects of the great disciplines of sociology and psychology. Contemporary social work is now required by law to take such issues into account, and the commitment to celebrating diversity and anti-discriminatory practice makes these become live issues once more. The emphasis upon a ‘strengths perspective’ and ‘understanding resilience’ in people’s lives, offers further insights into the link with spirituality and implicit religion, which encourages social work to recognise the positive impact it can have on people’s lives.

Religion and Spirituality in Social Work Education and Direct Practice at the Millennium: A Survey of UK Social Workers

Summary In recent years, an expanding body of social work publications and professional conference presentations has materialized in the United States due to a resurgence of interest in spirituality and religion. In order to explore the level of interest in the United Kingdom, a random sample of 5,500 practising social workers from the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) membership were mailed a questionnaire that examined religious and spiritual beliefs, practices and affiliations. A total of 789 BASW members in direct practice from England, Scotland Wales, and Northern Ireland returned questionnaires, a response rate of 20 per cent. The majority of respondents believed that spirituality was a fundamental aspect of being human. More than three quarters of the sample reported little or no content on religion and spirituality in their training programme. Respondents strongly approved of raising the topic of religion and spirituality with clients who are experiencing terminal illness or bereavement. This also held true in matters of adoption and foster parenting. Approximately 47 per cent of all respondents believed that including religion and spirituality in direct practice was compatible with social work's mission. This sample may represent those social workers with a stronger interest in religion and spirituality than a random sample of the general population of UK social workers. These findings, nevertheless, raise concern about the

Social Workers’ Religiosity and Its Impact on Religious Practice Behaviors

This study explores the impact of the social work practitioner’s religiosity on religious practice behaviors. A random sample of 1,278 social workers who possessed M.S.W. degrees, who provided direct services to clients and were members of NASW were surveyed regarding their personal religiosity. They were also asked about their views on the appropriateness of six Religion and Prayer in Practice behaviors. Variations in Religion and Prayer Practice behaviors were analyzed in relationship to the worker’s religiosity, race, gender and employing agency auspice. Regardless of all other factors, the more religious a worker is, the more likely a worker is to view religious and prayer activities in practice as appropriate professional behavior. Implications and recommendations regarding the integration of religion and spirituality in social work education and practice are discussed.

The Role of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work Education and Practice

This study investigated 208 students from two schools of social work on their views and experiences with religion and spirituality in education and practice. Results revealed a generally favorable stance toward the role of religion and spirituality in social work practice and relatively high endorsement and utilization of spiritually oriented interventions with clients. These findings are striking given that the majority of respondents reported little exposure to content on religion and spirituality in their educational program, thus raising concern about potential harm to clients. Results from the study are compared with previous research on social work practitioners and faculty, and implications for social work education are presented.

Books and Bombs: Ideological Conflict and the Schools: A Case Study of the Kanawha County Book Protest

Previous articleNext article No AccessBooks and Bombs: Ideological Conflict and the Schools: A Case Study of the Kanawha County Book ProtestGeorge Hillocks, Jr.George Hillocks, Jr. Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Volume 86, Number 4Aug., 1978 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/443436 Views: 2Total views on this site Citations: 8Citations are reported from Crossref Journal History This article was published in The School Review (1893-1979), which is continued by the American Journal of Education (1979-present). Copyright 1978 The University of ChicagoPDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:David Hodge Spiritual microaggressions: Understanding the subtle messages that foster religious discrimination, Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work 29, no.66 (Jan 2019): 473–489.https://doi.org/10.1080/15313204.2018.1555501David R. Hodge Secular Privilege: Deconstructing the Invisible Rose‐Tinted Sunglasses, Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought 28, no.1-21-2 (Feb 2009): 8–34.https://doi.org/10.1080/15426430802643281David R. Hodge Religious Discrimination and Ethical Compliance, Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought 26, no.22 (Oct 2008): 91–113.https://doi.org/10.1300/J377v26n02_05David R. Hodge, Suzanne Bushfield Developing Spiritual Competence in Practice, Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work 15, no.3-43-4 (Oct 2008): 101–127.https://doi.org/10.1300/J051v15n03_05David R. Hodge Spirituality in Social Work Education: A Development and Discussion of Goals that Flow from the Profession's Ethical Mandates, Social Work Education 24, no.11 (Feb 2005): 37–55.https://doi.org/10.1080/0261547052000324982David R. Hodge Developing Cultural Competency with Evangelical Christians, Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services 85, no.22 (May 2018): 251–260.https://doi.org/10.1606/1044-3894.318William J. Reese Soldiers for Christ in the Army of God: The Christian School Movement in America*, Educational Theory 35, no.22 (Jun 1985): 175–194.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-5446.1985.00175.xWilliam Lowe Boyd, Robert L. Crowson Chapter 7: The Changing Conception and Practice of Public School Administration, Review of Research in Education 9, no.11 (Jun 2016): 311–373.https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X009001311