Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice: Putting Theory into Action

Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice: Putting Theory into Action applies anti-oppressive theories and concepts to a generalist social work practice model to provide students with tools to develop a critically evaluative and self-reflective social work practice. The text combines social welfare history, theory, skills and concrete examples of anti-oppressive practice in real-world settings to help students develop a personal practice that is grounded in an understanding of social justice and the need for social workers to interrogate their work and the institutions that they find themselves working in.

Opening chapters address social justice, values and ethics, and theory, and challenge students to critically examine their own social positions, identities, and values. Later chapters present fields of social work and social justice practice, from micro through macro, historical and ideological contexts, and a variety of skills and forms of practice. Within each chapter, Stories from the Field (expanded in this edition) provide students with reflections from practitioners and participants on anti-oppressive practice and social justice work, highlighting personal successes and challenges.

The third edition contains new material on current topics including embodying anti-oppressive practice as individual practitioners; progressive-era Black social work values; trauma-informed practice; emotional intelligence; intergenerational trauma; non-violent communication in group work; and transformational and healing justice in organizations, and also incorporates updates based on the CSWE 2022 EPAS and the NASW Code of Ethics.

Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice is an ideal text for foundational courses in social work that approach multi-level practice from a decolonizing perspective.