Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice: Building Social Work Practice Skills

This innovative text is the first to introduce practical techniques social workers can use to incorporate social, economic, and environmental justice into their practice. The book emphasizes the role of justice in social work practice across the micro-macro spectrum. By assessing common human needs in relation to human rights, justice, and practice aimed at promoting fairness, students will learn how to incorporate theories and practical perspectives in social work practice with individuals, families, communities, and organizations.

With its unique approach, this text focuses on structural oppression and inequities connected to clients' engagement in systems and structures. The impact of disparities on accessing and utilizing resources, and subsequently achieving successful outcomes, is examined through the justice lens. Beginning with an overview of key concepts and theoretical underpinnings that provide foundational knowledge, the text then examines each of the three justice foci --social, economic, and environmental--in detail through specific systems. These systems include criminal justice, education, food security, natural disasters and climate change, health, mental health, housing, and income disparities Throughout the book, readers are asked to reflect on their own perceptions to enhance understanding of the influence of justice on practice. Case studies, diagrams, boxed information, student learning outcomes, chapter summaries, and review questions enhance understanding and application of content. Purchase includes digital access for use on most mobile devices or computers.

Key Features:

• Emphasizes the role of social, economic, and environmental justice in social work practice
• Examines the science and theory behind justice as it relates to social work
• Teaches practical methods for implementing justice-oriented social work practice
• Authored by prominent instructors actively engaged in co-curricular justice-related content
• Offers student learning outcomes and summaries in each chapter
• Presents abundant diagrams and boxes to enhance application of content
• Provides multiple experiential learning opportunities including case examples and reflective and knowledge-based review questions
• Offers practical examples of justice-informed social work
• Includes Instructor's Manual with sample syllabus, PowerPoints, exam questions, and media resources


Author: Kalea Benner, Diane Loeffler, Natalie Pope
Publisher: Springer Publishing Company
Published: 05/05/2021
Pages: 400
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.21lbs
Size: 10.00h x 7.00w x 0.66d
ISBN: 9780826135384

About the Author
Benner, Kalea: -

Kalea Benner PhD, MSW, LCSW is an Associate Professor with the College of Social Work at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Benner's practice experience has focused on the intersection of child welfare and mental health, working with working with youth and their families as well as within the school setting. After a decade in social work practice, she returned to complete her doctoral degree in social work at the University of Missouri, receiving her PhD in 2009. Dr. Benner's research interests include developing social work practitioners who are prepared for the complexity of SUD prevention, intervention and recovery. Additionally, Dr. Benner's research interests include student engagement and influences on academic success. Her work emphasizes inter-professional education and program efficacy, particularly as they relate to student learning, reflecting her value of multi-disciplinary perspectives on student success. Dr. Benner enjoys mentoring students in research and working with students to disseminate their work through publications and presentations.

Loeffler, Diane: -

Diane Loeffler PhD, MSW is a Senior Lecturer in the University of Kentucky's College of Social Work, a member of the Lewis Honors College Faculty, and a Faculty Affiliate of the Appalachian Center and Appalachian Studies Program. Dr. Loeffler earned her BA from the University of Iowa and her MSW and PhD from the University of Kentucky. Dr. Loeffler teaches widely across the BASW and MSW programs at UK with an emphasis on policy, macro practice, and social justice. Dr. Loeffler has published and presented on a variety of topics including social work education and social justice, community development, and rural development.

Pope, Natalie: -

Natalie Pope PhD, MSW, LCSW is an associate professor and director of doctoral programs in the College of Social Work at the University of Kentucky. She earned her MSW and PhD from the University of Georgia and was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to receiving her PhD, Dr. Pope worked as a case manager and clinical social worker. As a practitioner, she worked primarily in mental health services for young children and parents, child protective services, and psychosocial support for family caregivers. As a practitioner and a researcher, Dr. Pope has always been drawn to understanding people's lived experiences and the meaning people attribute to their experiences. During her PhD program, this interest grew as she engaged in specialized training in qualitative research methods, obtaining an Interdisciplinary Qualitative Studies Graduate Certificate. Dr. Pope's passion for qualitative inquiry informs her scholarship and teaching in ways that include focusing on the emic perspective in her research, teaching and mentoring students in qualitative methods, and collaborating with colleagues on qualitative and mixed methods projects. Dr. Pope has published numerous journal articles and has also delivered many national conference presentations on research in the areas of family caregiving across the lifespan, behavioral health of community-dwelling older adults, and planning for future care in aging families. Finally, an important aspect of Dr. Pope's work includes service to her institution, the community, and the profession. For four years she has worked on behalf of inclusion and diversity efforts at the University of Kentucky as the College of Social Work's Diversity and Inclusion Officer. Dr. Pope serves on the editorial board for the Journal of Women and Aging and is an active member of the Fayette County Senior Services Commission in Lexington, Kentucky where she resides with her husband and son.



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