| Course Objectives: | The overarching objective of this class is to help students move
from basic self-awareness to critical consciousness, from
practice skill and assessment to intervention and social action
in addressing power and oppression, promoting diversity,
advocacy, social justice, and in basing appropriate
interventions in evidence and applying the best available
evidence for various groups and problems.
Upon completion of this course, students will:
• Understand the historical and contemporary
involvements of the SW profession, including the NASW & IFSW,
and the UGA SSW in empowerment efforts.
• Develop an understanding for the philosophy and spirit
of the MSW curriculum at the UGA SSW.
• Develop a level of understanding about social justice
and its connection to privilege, power, oppression.
• Deepen their understanding of their personal social
and cultural identities and biases and how these relate to
clients diverse clients and communities.
• Understand and articulate concepts of culture,
identity, privilege, power, ally behaviors, oppression, social
justice, and “differentness” and integrate these concepts into
their practice framework (micro or macro). Understand how
these concepts operate in a global context and relate to human
rights.
• Gain skills in having honest conversations about the
intersection of social work and race, class, gender, ability,
sexuality, gender, national origin, difference, oppression,
and privilege.
• Utilize skills to combat social injustice, which is
necessary for competent practice in diverse communities,
including self-reflection, self-assessment, and consultation,
and use these skills to understand and build ally
relationships.
• Apply theories of oppression (social injustice) to
assess the impact of systemic/institutionalized oppression on
clients, develop culturally congruent services to reduce its
negative effects, and empower client to challenge existing
oppressive conditions by intervening at multiple systems
levels.
• Identify and discuss the extent and nature of economic
and social inequality, discrimination, self-governance and
social capital, especially as it relates to race, gender and
sexual orientation, age, religion, disability status, ability
to vote, class, and ethnicity. |