Social Work Commons^™

Shifting Course: Drawing On Feminist Principles To Inform Community-Engaged Teaching In Uncertain Times, Amie Thurber, Sarah V. Suiter, Susan Halverson

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

This autoethnographic case study explores teaching community-engaged courses during the onset of COVID-19. As educators who teach applied program evaluation courses at two universities, we consider how principles of feminist community engagement—relationality, border crossing, reflexivity, and disruptive pedagogy (Iverson & James, 2014)—ground our courses. Drawing from instructor reflections, interviews with community partners, students’ written reflections, and course evaluations, we explore how these principles informed our pedagogical response to teaching through the tumultuous spring of 2020, and the degree to which these practices enabled the continued participation of students and community partners. We close with implications for community-engaged teaching in these—and …

Political Efficacy In Social Workers Before And After 2016, Shannon R. Lane, Katharine M. Hill, Kathryn S. Krase, Tanya Rhodes Smith

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Since 2016, members of communities traditionally prevented or discouraged from electoral politics have challenged barriers to political power. Social work’s current research base about political action reflects the pre- 2016 political landscape. Survey data collected between 2015 and 2019 examines ways social workers’ political engagement and efficacy reacted to this political environment. We examined political efficacy of social workers and students before and after 2016 to compare their internal efficacy (sense of one’s own power in the political system) and external efficacy (sense of the system’s responsiveness). Political engagement and individual measures of political efficacy increased among certain demographic groups; …

Civic Engagement Among Iranians In The United States, Christine Marie Bishop, Sara Makki Alamdari

Faculty Publications

Civic engagement is beneficial for individuals and the overall communities they live in. There is currently a gap in our literature regarding studies about civic engagement among immigrants and refugees. The purpose of this study was to examine civic attitudes, civic engagement, and their potential predictors among Iranian immigrants and refugees in the U.S. In total, these researchers recruited 52 participants and administered an internet-based, four-section questionnaire. They found very positive civic attitudes, as well as a high level of engagement in different civic activities among this group. Applying multiple linear regression analysis, the results indicated that female participants and …

Clinical Social Workers, Gender, And Perceptions Of Political Participation, Jason Ostrander, Janelle K. Bryan, Shannon R. Lane

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Political participation to create social change is considered a professional and ethical imperative for social workers. Although researchers have examined overall political participation by social workers, little is known about how clinical social workers participate and the broader societal factors that influence their political participation. A critical phenomenological methodology was used with a sample of 23 clinical social workers from New England states to (1) identify how socio-political forces influenced their political activity; and, (2) understand how the concept of power affected individuals’ level of engagement or inclination toward the political process. This article describes one of the study’s major …

From The Empire State To The North Star State: Voter Engagement In The 2016 Election, Katharine M. Hill, Shannon R. Lane, Jenna Powers, Tanya Rhodes Smith

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Voter engagement has the potential to be a fundamental part of social work practice and key to the professional socialization of social work students. This article describes a classroom-based voter engagement project conducted in two undergraduate social work programs in different U.S. states with significantly different voting laws. We describe the rationale, process of implementing the project, evaluation, and review the results in the context of the 2016 election. We suggest future research that can help develop best practices and methods for implementation of voter engagement in social work practice and education in the future.

Identifying Factors That Predict Policy Practice Among Social Workers, Dawn R. Broers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The social work profession has long touted a dual focus on service within micro and macro realms of practice, preparing social workers to serve marginalized populations at the boundary between the powerful and the powerless. Research, however, has shown that macro social work, or policy practice, has diminished. Current research has been inconsistent in identifying predictive factors of increased policy practice. With recent efforts by the profession to bolster waning policy practice among social workers, it is vital to identify factors that predict higher engagement. Theoretical frameworks suggest that professional socialization in policy practice as a group norm, having resources …

Productive Engagement Early In Life: Civic And Volunteer Service As A Pathway To Development, Benjamin J. Lough, Margaret S. Sherraden, Amanda Moore Mcbride, Michael Sherraden, Suzanne Pritzer

Center for Social Development Research

Globalization and information-age technology have led to declines in labor market opportunity, especially for youth. In this paper, we suggest a robust emphasis on civic and volunteer service as one promising policy response. Service can promote civic engagement, meaningful roles in society, and work experience, while making substantial contributions to social and economic well-being. The classic historical example is the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) created by President Franklin Roosevelt during the Depression of the 1930s. The CCC was enormously productive and enjoyed strong bipartisan political support. In order to re-create this potential, policies for civic and volunteer service should be …

The Comparative Impacts Of Social Justice Educational Methods On Political Participation, Civic Engagement, And Multicultural Activism, Amy Krings, Elizabeth A. Austic, Lorraine M. Gutierrez, Kaleigh E. Dirksen

Amy Krings

This cross-sectional, repeated measures, quasi-experimental study evaluates changes in college stu- dents’ commitment toward, and confidence in, political participation, civic engagement, and multi- cultural activism. Our sample (n = 653) consisted of college students in a Midwestern university who participated in one of three social justice education course types (service learning, intergroup dialogue, or lecture-based diversity classes) or in an “introduction to psychology” course (the non-intervention group). After completion of a social justice education course, students reported an increase in politi- cal participation and multicultural activism, whereas students enrolled in the non-intervention group reported no changes in these measures. Service …

Collective Power To Create Political Change: Increasing The Political Efficacy And Engagement Of Social Workers, Jason Ostrander, Shannon R. Lane, Jennifer Mcclendon, Crystal Hayes, Tanya Rhodes Smith

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Because social workers are called to challenge social injustices and create systemic change to support the well-being of individuals and communities, it is essential that social workers develop political efficacy: belief that the political system can work and they can influence the system. This study explored the impact of an intensive political social work curriculum on political efficacy and planned political engagement among social work students and practitioners. The findings suggest this model of delivering a political social work curriculum effectively increases internal, external, and overall political efficacy, and that increasing political efficacy has promise for increasing future political engagement.

Civic Engagement And Institutional Trust Among South Africans, Yoosun Chu, Ce Shen

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The importance of institutional trust and its key determinants have been widely acknowledged in developed countries. However, in developing countries, where institutional trust has not been well established, its structural causes have not received adequate research emphasis. The aims of our study are: (1) to examine the direct effect of civic engagement on institutional trust; and (2) to examine the mediating effects of government dysfunction and government performance on the relationship between civic engagement and institutional trust. We conducted a structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis using data from the 2004 Afrobarometer Round 2.5 survey in South Africa (N = 2,400). …

Psychological Empowerment And The Pursuit Of Social Change: Outcomes Of Foster Youth Engagement, Bradley Forenza

Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Youth aging out of foster care are assumed to embody a disempowered group, for whom civic engagement opportunities are rare. Utilizing a targeted initiative, this study explores individual- and community-level outcomes derived from foster youth civic engagement. Data were collected via: (a) interview and survey research with foster youth advisory board leaders; (b) interview and survey research with civic youth workers; and, (c) non-participant observation of five foster youth advisory board meetings. Directed content analysis revealed three emergent themes, which transcended the data inductively (Opportunity through Access; Positive Conceptions of New Jersey's Department of Children and Families; and, Participatory Competence). …

Arts As A Means For Civic Engagement: A Tool For Social Workers, Daniella Schulz

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact art could play on engaging society in a public health matter. Qualitative interviews were conducted with mental health professionals who provide clinical services to individuals experiencing serious mental illness. These audio- recorded interviews were conducted within a period of two weeks and were analyzed using grounded theory methodology. The most common themes that emerged were social inclusion, creating dialogue and deterring mental health stigma. Implications from this study included a need for more case studies in the U.S. regarding civic engagement efforts and an increased use of art, and collaboration …

Strategic Directions For Global Research On Volunteering For Peace And Sustainable Development, Vera J. Seelig, Benjamin J. Lough

Center for Social Development Research

This workshop report is a co-creation of the United Nations Volunteers, the International Forum on Volunteering for International Development, and the Center for Social Development. It summarizes the workshop on strategic directions for global research for sustainable development that took place in Bonn, Germany, on July 6 through 7, 2015.

The Comparative Impacts Of Social Justice Educational Methods On Political Participation, Civic Engagement, And Multicultural Activism, Amy Krings, Elizabeth A. Austic, Lorraine M. Gutierrez, Kaleigh E. Dirksen

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

This cross-sectional, repeated measures, quasi-experimental study evaluates changes in college stu- dents’ commitment toward, and confidence in, political participation, civic engagement, and multi- cultural activism. Our sample (n = 653) consisted of college students in a Midwestern university who participated in one of three social justice education course types (service learning, intergroup dialogue, or lecture-based diversity classes) or in an “introduction to psychology” course (the non-intervention group). After completion of a social justice education course, students reported an increase in politi- cal participation and multicultural activism, whereas students enrolled in the non-intervention group reported no changes in these measures. Service …

Social And Emotional Learning And Social Work In Middle School: A Case Study In Community Partnership, Anne S. Robertson, Amanda Moore Mcbride, Saras Chung, Allison Williams, Victoria May

Center for Social Development Research

Social and emotional learning is increasingly being recognized for its role in urban school reform despite current school improvement efforts focused on academic outcomes. This paper presents a case study in community partnership between a middle school, a community-based organization, and a research university, to implement a social and emotional program in seventh grade social studies. Highlighted is the importance of trust and communication among all partners—including administrators, researchers, front-line staff, teachers, and students. It also suggests a framework to expand school partnerships to include schools of social work, especially when the focus is on social and emotional learning.

Beyond Ferguson: Empowering Low-Income People To Build The Future Of Their Communities, Dorothy Stoneman

Center for Social Development Research

Beyond Ferguson: Empowering Low-Income People to Build the Future of Their Communities

Community Partner Perspectives Of Dukeengage: 2011–2013, Sarita Barton, Amanda Moore Mcbride, Jaclyn Demarse Purtell

Center for Social Development Research

Community Partner Perspectives of Dukeengage: 2011–2013

Investing In The Civic Economy: Social Capital And Choice Neighborhoods, Mary Ellen Brown

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Concentrated poverty in inner-city neighborhoods in the United States generates social disorganization and isolation, limiting residents’ access to opportunities for upward mobility. Place-based concentration effects can be detrimental to individual health outcomes and overall community health. Communities require assets and resources across multiple types of capital, and in particular social capital, in order to foster a thriving civic economy. The purpose of this research was to provide a foundation through the study of social capital for pursuing strategic actions to foster a thriving civic economy for residents in a low-wealth neighborhood in Shreveport, Louisiana, that was also the focus of …

Social Work And Civic Engagement: The Political Participation Of Professional Social Workers, Sunny Harris Rome, Susan Hoechstetter

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article examines the involvement of practicing social workers in one type of civic engagement: the use of political processes to promote the public good. Based on a survey of 1,274 randomly selected members of NASW, this is the largest study to date examining the involvement of social workers in political action and policy advocacy. Findings suggest that approximately half of social workers demonstrate high levels of participation in the policy process. The authors analyze the frequency with which respondents engage in specific political and policy-related activities, and compare these results to those of other studies. They also examine respondents'attitudes …

Can Establishing Partnerships Between College Campuses And Nonprofit Organizations Be Mutually Beneficial?, Crystal S. Aschenbrener Msw

Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal

More than ever nonprofit organizations need to find creative ways to be resourceful and cost effective in achieving their mission. Partnerships between college campuses and nonprofit organizations can be a mutually beneficial way of meeting nonprofit’s program goals while empowering college students, who are the next generation of volunteers, donors, and professionals. With these partnerships, nonprofits gain new ideas and extra working hands though established projects while students gain field experiences and the opportunity to apply their course knowledge. With this article, readers will understand the benefits of building as well as a step-by-step model to develop such partnerships.

The Civic Engagement Of Latino Immigrants In The United States, Cristina Michele Tucker

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study employs acculturation and civic engagement theories to explain the incorporation and engagement of Latino immigrants in American society by examining how demographic characteristics, socioeconomic factors, and characteristics of the immigrant experience, as moderated by acculturation and trust in government influence their civic engagement.

The core component of the study is a secondary data analysis of the 2006 Latino National Survey (Fraga et al., 2008). The study shows that some of the strongest predictors of civic engagement in the Latino immigrant community are citizenship, length of residence in the United States, level of education, household income, age, country of …

Bridging Social Capital Formation In A Faith-Based Organization, Angela Kaiser

Wayne State University Dissertations

Previous research on faith-based organizations suggest that these organizations are highly effective at forging relationships between individuals from different racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, known as bridging social capital. This study examines the process of bridging social capital formation within MOSES, a faith-based organization located in Detroit, Michigan. Through the use of in-depth interviews, participant observation, archival research, and a member survey, I documented the forms of social capital present within the organization. I also explored whether bridging relationships were forming within the organization and the strategies that facilitated their formation. Diversity within the organization, recognition of member differences, and …

An Agenda On Productive Aging: Research, Policy, And Practice, Nancy Morrow-Howell, Michael Sherraden, Amanda Moore Mcbride, Jim Hinterlong, Philip Rozario, Fengyan Tang

Center for Social Development Research

The Center for Social Development (CSD) at Washington University in St. Louis is advancing an agenda on productive aging, focusing on three primary forms of productive engagement: employment, volunteerism/civic engagement, and caregiving. These are activities that produce goods and services, whether paid for or not, and that have effects beyond individuals to families, communities, and society. Older adults who engage in these activities make important economic and social contributions, though these contributions are often undervalued. This agenda on productive aging builds on the results of a CSD-sponsored symposium where leading gerontologists from many academic disciplines discussed older adults as a …