Social Work Commons^™

Dying Alone And Lonely Dying: Media Discourse And Pandemic Conditions, Holly Nelson-Becker, Christina Victor

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Background and objectives: This paper explores current concerns and practice related to older people dying alone in Intensive Care Units, care homes, and at home through media discussions during the Covid-19 pandemic and before. It addresses the historically-situated concept of a good death and a bad death and suggests why dying alone, whether completely alone or without significant others physically present, may be considered a bad death.

Methods: As evidence for collective fears about dying alone, we explored the treatment of these deaths in media using headline examples from the US New York Times and the English Guardian newspaper from …

Navigating Academia During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Can You Do It All?, Abha Rai, Kristen Ravi

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

The goal of this reflection paper is to draw from our own experiences of starting new tenure-track faculty positions in social work departments amid a global pandemic. By drawing from our experiences, we hope to reflect on strategies and resources utilized. By discussing our approach, we endeavor to provide support to other academics across the world. We believe these resources and strategies will be useful as we continue to live in the “new normal.”

The Effects Of Covid-19 On Domestic Violence And Immigrant Families., Abha Rai, Susan Grossman, Nathan Perkins

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

The COVID-19 pandemic has threatening implications for all individuals; and has been particularly unsettling for immigrants. Given their unique positionality in the U.S., the intersectional discussion about the impact of this pandemic on immigrants and issues of family violence is salient. The position of some groups of immigrant women is even more precarious due to the increased dependency on their spouse/partner for emotional, economic and immigration-related reasons. While immigrants have been on the frontlines as responders for COVID-19, there are limited policies that provide them with healthcare, employment guarantee, or benefits. Further, the immigration restrictions created by the U.S. Government …

Environmental Justice Organizing In A Gentrifying Community: Navigating Dilemmas Of Representation, Issue Selection, And Recruitment, Amy Krings, Colette Copic

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Environmental justice organizations aim to secure an equitable distribution of environmental resources through the participation and self-determination of affected people, particularly communities of color. Yet organizing in a market economy is complicated: As communities become greener, gentrification can follow, thereby inadvertently displacing low-income communities of color and reproducing environmental injustices. This study informs antiracist community practice methods by examining strategic and ethical dilemmas embedded within an environmental justice organization that is located in a gentrifying Mexican American neighborhood in Chicago. Drawing from interviews, we examine members’ perceptions relating to representation, recruitment, and issue selection. We reveal key considerations for community …

Queerview: Protocol For A Technology-Mediated Qualitative Photo Elicitation Study With Sexual And Gender Minority Youth In Ontario, Canada, Shelley L. Craig, Andrew D. Eaton, Rachael Pascoe, Egag Egag, Lauren B. Mcinroy, Lin Fang, Ashley Austin, Michael P. Dentato Phd, Msw

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Background:The experiences of resilience and intersectionality in the lives of contemporary sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) are important to explore. SGMY face unique experiences of discrimination in both online and offline environments, yet simultaneously build community and seek support in innovative ways. SGMY who identify as transgender, trans, or gender nonconforming and have experiences with child welfare, homelessness, or immigration have been particularly understudied. A qualitative exploration that leverages technology may derive new understanding of the negotiations of risk, resilience, and identity intersections that impact the well-being of vulnerable SGMY.

Objective:The objectives of the QueerVIEW study were to (1) …

Spiritual Diversity, Spiritual Assessment, And Māori End-Of-Life Perspectives: Attaining Ka Ea,, Holly Nelson-Becker, Tess Moeke-Maxwell

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

The contemporary world is endowed with increasingly diverse spiritual and cultural perspectives, yet little is known about the spiritual concerns and spiritual resilience of Māori from Aotearoa New Zealand at the end of life. A context is provided for the value of spiritual assessment and identification of spiritual needs or concerns. Spiritual concerns and the desire to attain a state of ka ea (fulfillment, gratitude, or peace) may point to interventions, helping activities, or referrals that guide treatment. We reflect on qualitative findings from the 2017–2020 Pae Herenga study of 61 caregiving families, their helping professionals, and religious/spiritual leaders. We …

Equity In Sustainable Development: Community Responses To Environmental Gentrification, Amy Krings, Tania Schusler

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Sustainable development aims to address economic, social, and environmental imperatives; yet, in practice, it often embodies a neoliberal market logic that reinforces inequalities. Thus, as the social work profession grapples with its role in advancing environmental sustainability, practice models must explicitly attend to social and economic justice. For example, environmental gentrification refers to situations in which the cleanup of contaminated land or the installation of environmental amenities intentionally or unintentionally catalyzes increased housing costs, thereby contributing to the displacement of vulnerable residents. With the goal of contributing to practice knowledge, we conducted a systematic review of peer‐reviewed articles (1997−2017) to …

Research‐Based Knowledge About Social Work And Sustainability, Aila‐Leena Matthies, Amy Krings, Ingo Stamm

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

Religious/Spiritual Struggles And Spiritual Resilience In Marginalised Older Adult, Holly Nelson-Becker, Michael Thomas

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Spiritual and religious struggles emerge in times where life meaning is unclear, has changed or is challenged. Resilience has been addressed in terms of psychological, social, emotional and physical capacity or competence related to struggle. However, there is a relatively sparse literature defining and addressing spiritual resilience, both what it is and how it is demonstrated. This is especially true of the oppressive and marginalised experiences of diverse older persons. This paper asks how older persons have responded to life challenge and spiritual struggle through spiritually resilient responses. It provides a foundation for the discussion of spiritual resilience in older …

Philosophical Approaches To Qualitative Research, Renee Spencer, Julia Pryce, Jill Walsh

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

The Oxford Handbook of Qualitative Research, Second Edition presents a comprehensive, interdisciplinary overview of the field of qualitative research. Divided into eight parts, the forty chapters address key topics in the field such as approaches to qualitative research (philosophical perspectives), narrative inquiry, field research, and interview methods, text, arts-based, and internet methods, analysis and interpretation of findings, and representation and evaluation. The handbook is intended for students of all levels, faculty, and researchers across the disciplines, and the contributors represent some of the most influential and innovative researchers as well as emerging scholars.

This handbook provides a broad introduction to …

Planning, Participation, And Power In A Shrinking City: The Detroit Works Project, Gregory B. Markus, Amy Krings

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Scholars and practitioners have argued that authentic public participation is crucial in developing strategic plans for so-called shrinking cities, not only for informing the content of the resulting plans but also for fostering public support, civic capacity, and equitable outcomes. The Detroit Works Project, launched in 2010, provided an opportunity to examine the crafting of a high-profile strategic plan for a major U.S. city challenged by decades of population loss and disinvestment. We find that the project was yet another instance of urban planning that began with an assurance that public involvement would play a central role but then failed …

Review Of Healing In Action: Adventure-Based Counseling With Therapy Groups, Maria Wathen

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

Environmental Social Work In The Disciplinary Literature, 1991–2015, Amy Krings, Bryan G. Victor, John Mathias, Brian E. Perron

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Despite increasing acknowledgment that the social work profession must address environmental concerns, relatively little is known about the state of scholarship on environmental social work. This study provides a scientometric summary of peer-reviewed articles (N=497) pertaining to environmental topics in social work journals between 1991 and 2015. We find that theoretical and empirical scholarship on environmental social work is growing, though this growth remains limited to specific geographical regions and topics. We note the need to clarify the relationship between environmental social work as a theoretical paradigm and as a research topic.

A Critical Glocalization Approach: Attending To Power In The Innovation Space, Maria Wathen

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

The purpose of this paper is to provide community practitioners with the theoretical background to recognize and work in the interplay of global and local forces. This paper reviews globalization as a contested term and presents several globalization paradigms. It introduces critical glocalization as a guiding approach that sensitizes social workers to power dynamics. With this approach, social workers are encouraged to look for innovations that arise in the glocal sphere. They will understand the broader political, economic, structural, policy, and discursive contexts in which they are working, and intentionally look for the marginalized voices in our complex, interconnected world.

Conducting Research In Non-Traditional Settings: Research Assistant Experiences In A Gay Bathhouse, Michael R. Lloyd, Michael P. Dentato Phd, Msw, Brian Kelly, Hayley Stokar

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Research conducted in traditional and non-traditional settings remains essential to understanding behaviors and attitudes among diverse populations. The effective preparation of research assistants is essential in order to conduct ethical research and ensure safety for the participants and those conducting the research. One such example pertains to examining the behavior of men who have sex with men (e.g., gay, bisexual, other MSM) within bathhouse settings. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among six graduate students and alumni examining their overall interest in conducting research as well as their thoughts and feelings prior to, during, and after collecting data at a gay male …

Should Failure To Protect Laws Include Physical And Emotional Sibling Violence?, Nathan Perkins, Johanna E. Barry

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Physical and emotional sibling violence is a problematic occurrence for many children, adults, and families, yet this form of violence rarely falls within the purview of state laws and policies. Failure to protect laws offer one avenue through which sibling violence can be addressed by holding parents and caregivers accountable for harm that occurs to a child in their custody. This article provides background information on physical and emotional sibling violence as well as a general overview of failure to protect laws in the context of intimate partner violence with particular consideration of these laws in addressing sibling violence. In …

Sibling Violence: The Missing Piece In Family Violence Policy, Nathan H. Perkins, Susan F. Grossman

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Social work has played an integral role in the conceptualization and implementation of policy aimed at prevention and intervention of various forms of family violence. Seminal federal policies to address child abuse and neglect (Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act), elder abuse (Elder Justice and Older Americans Acts), and intimate partner violence (Violence Against Women and Family Violence Prevention and Services Acts) all focus on specific types of violence in the family. To date, however, there are no federal policies specifically addressing physical and/or emotional sibling violence (Perkins, Coles, & O’Connor, 2017; Perkins & O’Connor, 2016). This article examines the …

Community Collaborations With Saving Lives, Inspiring Youth: A Community-Based Cross-Age Peer Mentoring Program, Cynthia Onyeka, Kevin Miller, Chana Matthews, Amzie Moore Ii, Katherine Tyson Mccrea Professor, Maryse Richards

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Scholar-community collaborations offer an opportunity to conduct translational research that is both useful and respectful to the population of study (Foster-Fishman, Berkowitz, Lounsbury, Jacobson & Allen, 2001). When projects involve an intervention targeted towards a marginalized community, it is even more important to perform the research with such regard. Community-based interventions are more likely to find sustained success with community members as part of the service and research team. However, tensions between researchers and practitioners may present challenges with this work (e.g., researchers devaluing practitioner insights, practitioners and community members concerned about past histories of mistreatment of research subjects), particularly …

Institutional Logics And Diverging Organizational Forms: An Empirical Study In Russia, Maria V. Wathen

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

Using an institutional logics approach, this study investigates how the institutional logics of leaders of grassroots social service nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Russia changed over time and how these changes related to changes in organizational mission, people served, professionalization, and interactions with the government. Relying on interviews as well as other data gathered, this analysis of organizational leaders’ narratives reveals the identities and experiences that these leaders turn to in their sensemaking of significant events. The findings show that, on the one hand, social welfare NGOs continued to provide services, increased their advocacy efforts, and professionalized their staff. Volunteer organizations, …

Your Goals And You - Don’T Let Your Goals Get (To) You …. Before You Can Get To Them!, Shweta Singh

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

What is the one thing you can count on as far as goals are concerned? Not one thing but many things and secondly- your goals are similar to goals of many people around the world, who (interestingly enough) have really nothing in common with you. And finally- that is because how we decide our goals, has very little to do with what is inside us and more about the surrounding influences.

Just lean back and think about how much you are taught and selectively exposed to - by way of opinions, ideas, thoughts about what an ideal life is? Who …

Notes From The Field: Culturally Adapted Research Methods For South Asian Participants, Erum Agha, Abha Rai

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

South Asian immigrants form one of the largest immigrant groups in the United States. However, they remain understudied despite their large presence in the country. They are often lumped with other Asians or classified under the category "other" in national studies, which leads to a limited knowledge about this group. To address this methodological challenge, a representative multi-site sample of South Asian participants must be recruited to participate in research studies so their unique issues can be studied appropriately. This paper discusses best practices and culturally responsive ways of conducting ethical research with this unique population and delineates specific recruitment, …

When We Can’T Say Goodbye — Loss, Grief, And Dying During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Holly Nelson-Becker, Ann Callahan

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

How do we understand and manage our thoughts about death? How can we prepare for our own and the deaths of others for whom we care deeply? How can we communicate at times when our clients, significant others, or friends are dying? Finally, how do we say goodbye in haste or cope when we cannot?

This article addresses three complementary aspects of death and grief: death and loss for the one who is dying, death and loss for the person mourning, and death and loss for communities. Each section is informed by public health guidelines, statements by professional organizations, and …