Diversity and Social Justice in Social Work

In this course, you will develop a framework for engaging diversity and differences in social work practice, as well as advancing human rights and social and economic justice. Explore how societal power and diversity characterize and shape the human experience, and are critical to the formation of social structures, cultural understandings, group and organizational processes, and identities.

Analyze how current experiences of privilege and oppression are shaped by historical forces, societal structures, social constructions, groups, interpersonal processes and human understandings. You will also explore formulations of human rights, including positive rights, and negative conditions that need to be eradicated.

You will learn how to:

• Explore the knowledge base that underlies skills needed to work towards social justice..

• Identify the types and sources of power and how they interact..

• Develop skills in critical contextual thinking, analysis, and in practice..

• Learn to use knowledge and theory to recognize and critique underlying assumptions and paradigms and inform working for change..

• Understand the dimensions of diversity as the intersectionality of multiple factors including age, class, ethnicity, and more..

• Social justice and injustice occur in organizations, institutions, and society.