Emerging Perspectives On Anti Oppressive Practice

This book consists of 27 chapters developed from papers originally delivered at a recent conference at the University of Toronto on anti-oppressive practice in social work. Dr. Shera has gathered expert contributors to discuss, define, and analyse theories of social work practice, pedagogical issues, fieldwork practice, models of education of social work practitioners, and current critical issues. These selected conference papers lay the groundwork for anti-oppressive practice in a way that will generate discussion and inspire researchers and practitioners.

An empowerment approach is the organizing framework for this text which examines the nature of oppression, who does it and why, from the standpoint of biological and social psychological aspects. The impact on victim/survivors is explored through the inclusion of brief personal narratives recording grueling consciousness-raising experiences. This book is appropriate for courses in oppression, racism, and policy analysis. A small paperback, it can be used as a supplement to a course such as human behavior and the social environment. Divided into two parts, the first of which focuses on oppression and the second on the twin concept of injustice, Confronting Oppression and Restoring Justice, has as its major task the addressing of the age-old question for social workers, How can we avoid participating in the oppression? Or, working from the outside, How can we help the casualties of economic restructuring or the victims of structural or interpersonal violence? Examples of exemplary programs and actions to confront oppression and injustice are provided.

Walking This Path Together is an edited collection devoted to improving the lives of children and families that come to the attention of child welfare authorities by demonstrating and advocating for socially just child welfare practices. In this new, updated edition, authors provide special consideration to the historical and political context of child welfare in Canada and theoretical ideas and concrete practices that support practitioners, educators and students who are looking for anti-racist, anti-oppressive and anti-colonial perspectives on child welfare practice.

For years anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice have been embedded in the social work landscape. Thinking beyond the mainstream approaches, this book critically examines some of the core concepts and issues in social work, providing fresh perspectives and opportunities for educators, students and practitioners of social work.

Thought-provoking and engaging, this edited volume invites readers to examine how anti-oppression practices can be fostered as a platform for transformation within social work education and organizational settings. Written by practitioners, educators, and students who have long engaged with anti-oppression and social justice frameworks, the chapters in this collection offer in-depth insights into how anti-oppression principles can enhance social work practice. Through supportive critiques and an exploration of the complexities of practice with and by marginalized populations, the authors seek to push the scope and boundaries of anti-oppression practice. They offer concrete examples on a diversity of issues, including developing Indigenous practice principles, addressing anti-Black sanism, challenging normative constructions of grief, supporting queer resistance, and advancing critical practices with children and youth. A well-timed contribution to the literature, this edited collection will be an indispensable resource for social work students, scholars, and practitioners.

Reimagining Anti-Oppression Social Work Research explores the challenges, tensions, and possibilities of engaging with anti-oppression epistemology in social work research. Through in-depth discussion of methodologies such as phenomenology, surveys, decolonizing research principles, autoethnography, and critical arts-informed research, the authors provide insights about the application of these approaches to studies with marginalized populations and on a variety of social issues. Outlining principles for engaging with communities, research in organizational contexts, and the importance of fluidity and practices of unknowing, this edited collection invites readers to reflect critically about research frameworks. The authors explore the complexities of research on topics such as whiteness, racism, disability, and trans experiences, as well as working within feminist contexts and institutional social service settings. An ideal resource for social work students and scholars, this insightful and highly accessible volume highlights the value of anti-oppressive research for social change.

This book, by one of the leading theorists of social work, tackles a subject of crucial importance to students and practitioners alike: how social workers can enable their clients to challenge and transcend the manifold oppressions that disempower them (whether through poverty, disability, mental illness, etc.). It moves from a discussion of social work's purpose and ambitions to an exposition of theory and, from there, to the practice arenas of working with individuals, in groups, within organisations, and within a wider social and political context.