Michael Reisch

The Future of Social Work in the United States: Implications for Field Education

This article discusses six major developments shaping the future of social work practice and education in the United States, with particular attention to their implications for field education. These include economic globalization, the changing political climate, the growing use of technology, demographic shifts and their impact on cities, the changing nature of social service agencies, and changes in universities. The article analyzes how these sweeping changes compel social work educators to reassess their underlying assumptions and, based upon this analysis, suggests some calculated risks to take.

Defining Social Justice in a Socially Unjust World

ONE OF THE IRONIES OF THE EARLY twenty-first century is that ideological struggles between and within nations have intensified a decade after the end of the Cold War. Today, proponents of diametrically opposed visions of society, secular and religious, march under the banner of social justice. As desirable social and political goals are depicted in starkly different forms, labels like “good” and “evil” become interchangeable and the meaning of social justice becomes obscured. As it has been for millennia, the concept of social justice is now used as a rationale for maintaining the status quo, promoting far-reaching social reforms, and justifying revolutionary action. If liberals and conservatives, religious fundamentalists, and radical secularists all regard their causes as socially just, how can we develop a common meaning of the term?

The Future of Community Organization in Social Work: Social Activism and the Politics of Profession Building

The growth of community organization practice and its future prospects within social work have been shaped by a variety of factors related to profession building. This paper analyzes the development of community organization from a political-economic perspective and proposes ways for community organization to remain a viable force within the social work profession in the future.

Social Work Education and the Neo-Liberal Challenge: The US Response to Increasing Global Inequality

During the past several decades, a ‘perfect storm’, resulting from the political–economic changes accompanying globalization, dramatic demographic and cultural transformations in US society and rapid technological advances, has created unprecedented challenges for the social work profession and social work education. These challenges include the widening gap in income and wealth both within the US and between the Global North and South; growing racial and class disparities in health and mental health care, education, employment and housing; a shift within policymaking circles towards fiscal austerity and policies that emphasize market-oriented and individually-focused solutions; and the changing nature of universities, student populations and the educational process itself. Although the formal documents of major social work organizations continue to emphasize social justice themes, the actual practice of social work and the preparation of students for practice, teaching and research have diverged considerably from this rhetorical mission. This is reflected in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, the uncritical adoption of ‘evidence-based practice’ as a cornerstone of social work education and research; the growing stratification of social work faculty; the increased reliance on untested online methods of education; and the emphasis on quantitative ‘outcomes’ as indicators of educational success. At the same time, social work education in the US has been unable to respond effectively to the implications of demographic and cultural diversity, despite the demands of its accrediting body, the Council on Social Work Education. This article will provide an overview of the changing environment of social work and social work education during the past several decades. This will be followed by a discussion of the impact of these changes on social work education and a critique of the response—to date—of social work educators. Finally, it will suggest some potential educational responses to these challenges.

“Of Means and Ends” Revisited: Teaching Ethical Community Organizing in an Unethical Society

Summary Dramatic changes in society will alter the environment of community practitioners in the 21st Century and generate new and more complex ethical dilemmas. Yet, the literature of community practice has paid little attention to ethical issues. This article explores some ethical issues associated with community practice and their implications for social work education. It also outlines a basic ethical framework for teaching students how to analyze ethical problems and specific teaching methods such as case studies, community projects, class exercises, and field-based assignments.

The challenges of health care reform for hospital social work in the United States.

This article examines the potential impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 on the practice of hospital social work in the United States and its implications for social work education and training. It briefly traces the history of hospital social work, outlines some contemporary issues in the health care field, particularly those that create persistent health disparities, summarizes the major provisions of the Act that have implications for social work practice, and discusses how social workers in hospital settings might respond effectively to the changes produced by the legislation.

Welfare Reform and Community-Based Organizations: Implications for Policy, Practice, and Education

ABSTRACT This paper discusses the effects of welfare reform on the ability of CBOs to respond to client and community needs. A stratified sample of 64 organizations providing youth, job training, behavioral health, shelter, and nutritional services in an urban neighborhood yielded 42 participants (response rate 66%). In-depth interviews of Executive Directors assessed changes in staffing, client population, program, funding, and inter-organizational relationships. Content and summary statistical analyses of transcribed interviews and focus groups, and of documents provided by state and local welfare agencies describing efforts to involve nonprofit CBOs in welfare reform implementation were conducted.

Unintended Consequences: The Impact of Welfare Reform in the United States on NGOs

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996 dramatically transformed the structure and goals of the public welfare system in the United States. The vast body of research and evaluation generated by the 1996 welfare reforms largely overlooked nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) despite their substantial historical and contemporary involvement in the delivery of social services to low-income populations. Therefore, this paper presents a unique assessment of PRWORAs implications based on the perspective of 90 social service NGOs operating in the Detroit metropolitan area. Examination of their services, staffing, budgets, and clients reveals many changes experienced by NGOs between 1996 and 2000 related to the welfare reforms. Overall, the findings suggest an increased role for social service NGOs in the “public” welfare system as well as concerns regarding their capacity to adequately fulfill this growing responsibility in the future.

The Ideology of Some Social Work Texts

Fourteen introductory social work textbooks published during the 1970s were reviewed, by means of a comparative content analysis, to ascertain their ideological and sociopolitical assumptions. Virtually all were found to contain assumptions about the political-economic structure of society, the nature of social class and social class relationships, and the nature of social change. Contrary to our expectations, most authors stated their assumptions quite explicitly. A spectrum of assumptions was constructed, and the implications for using these textbooks were discussed.

The “Other America” After Welfare Reform: A View from the Nonprofit Sector

SUMMARY This article examines the experiences of private, nonprofit social service agencies and their role in the “social safety net” following the 1996 welfare reforms. Among other concerns, the research suggests that declining welfare rolls are not indicative of widespread poverty reduction and increased self-sufficiency, as many nonprofits, especially those providing emergency food and shelter services, have experienced increasing demands during this time period. On a positive note, the growing role of nonprofit advocacy work emerged as one mechanism for improving the popular and political response to those living in poverty or near poverty conditions.