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Research_aa Proposal_aa Part_aa 1
Classie_aa Mejia
SOCW_aa 6301:_aa Social_aa Work_aa Practice_aa Research_aa I
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Introduction
The_aa role_aa of_aa social_aa workers_aa is_aa of_aa paramount_aa importance_aa to_aa promote_aa social_a
justice_aa and_aa equality._ These_aa workers_aa mainly_aa work_aa with_ vulnerable_aa members_a
of_aa society_aa and_a make_aa sure_aa that_aa their_aa needs_aa are_ met,_aa and_aa their_ quality_aa
of_aa life_aa is_ improved._aa It_aa is_aa argued_aa that_aa the_aa contributions_aa made_aa by_aa social_aa
workers_aa are_aa immense_aa (Payne,_aa 2020)._aa Social_aa workers_aa can_aa help_aa to_ tackle_aa
diverse_aa issues_aa that_ exist_aa in_aa society_aa such_aa as_aa poverty,_aa homelessness,_aa mental_aa
health_aa issues,_aa etc._aa by_aa assessing_aa the_aa specific_aa needs_aa of_ individuals,_aa families,_aa
and_aa other_aa members_ of_aa communities._aa However,_aa a_aa major_aa barrier_aa that_ may_aa
arise_aa before_aa social_ workers_aa and_aa impede_ their_aa ability_aa to_aa contribute_aa to_aa
society_aa and_aa its_ members_aa includes_aa social_aa injustice_aa and _ inequality. _aa It _aa has _aa
been_aa identified_aa that_a the_aa lack_aa of_aa social_aa justice_aa in_a the_aa social_aa work_aa setting_aa
has_aa the_aa potential_ to_aa give_aa rise_aa to_aa complex_aa issues_aa such_aa as_aa exclusion_aa and_aa
unfairness_aa (O'Brien,_aa 2019)._aa Due_aa to_aa the_aa prevalence_aa of_aa injustice_aa and_aa
inequality,_aa the_aa functions_aa that _ are_aa carried_aa out_aa by_aa social_aa workers_aa may_aa fail_aa
to_aa create_aa value_aa in_aa society_aa and_aa the_aa ability_aa of_aa vulnerable_aa members_aa of_aa the_a
society_aa to_aa seek_aa help_aa may_aa get_aa diminished.
Problem_aa Statement
The_aa specific_aa problem_ on_aa which_aa the_a proposed_aa research_aa study_a will_aa focus_aa is_
the_aa impact_aa of_ social_aa injustice_aa and_aa inequality_aa in_aa the_a social_aa work_aa field._aa
Furthermore,_aa the_aa proposed_aa study_aa will_aa also_ lay_aa emphasis_aa on_aa the_aa measures_aa
that_aa can_aa be_aa taken_aa to_ mitigate_aa the_aa issues_aa relating_aa to_ social_aa injustice_aa and_aa
inequality._aa According_aa to_a existing_aa literature,_ the_aa role_aa of_a social _a justice_aa is_aa of_a
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cardinal_aa importance_aa in_aa the_aa social_ work_aa setting_aa since_aa it_aa helps_aa the_aa
professionals_aa to_aa overcome_aa a_aa diverse_aa range_aa of_aa challenges_aa and_ obstacles_aa
such_aa as_aa guides_aa social_aa workers_aa to_aa overcome_aa a_aa diverse_aa range_aa of_ issues,_aa
such_aa as_aa inequality,_aa oppression,_aa and_aa discrimination_aa (Bláhová,_ 2022). _aa However, _aa
the_aa absence_aa of_a social_aa justice_aa has_aa the_aa potential_aa to_aa defeat_aa the_aa very_a
purpose_aa of_aa social_a work_aa as_aa it_aa may_ widen_aa the_ gap_aa that_aa exists_a in_aa society_aa
due_aa to_aa disparity._aa The_aa research_aa study_a will_aa help_aa to_ uncover_aa how_aa the_aa
existence_aa of_aa barriers_aa such_aa as_aa discriminatory_aa policies,_a racism_aa at_aa the_aa
institutional_aa level,_aa etc_aa can_aa lead_aa to_aa social_aa injustice_aa and_aa inequality._aa There_aa is_aa
an_aa opportunity_aa to_aa integrate_aa the_aa elements_aa of_aa fairness_aa and_aa equity_aa in_aa social_
work_aa setting_aa so_a that_aa diverse_aa vulnerable_ members_aa of_aa the_ society_aa can _a get_aa
empowered_aa and_aa social_ workers_aa can_aa play_aa a_aa proactive_ role_aa to_aa eliminate_aa
varying_aa forms_aa of_a social_aa injustices.
Research_aa Question
The_aa research_aa question_aa that_aa has_aa been_aa generated_aa to_aa address_ the_aa identified_aa
research_aa problem_aa is_a presented_aa below:
• What_aa is_aa the_ impact_aa of_aa social_a injustice_aa and_aa inequality_aa in_aa the _ social_aa
work_aa field_aa and_ what_aa measures_aa can_aa be_aa taken_aa to_aa eliminate_aa or_aa tackle_aa
the_aa issues_aa of_aa social_aa injustice_aa and_aa inequality_aa in_aa the_aa social_aa work_aa
context?
The_aa research_aa question_ that_aa has_aa been_aa framed_aa is_aa aligned_ with_aa the_aa identified_
problem_aa that_aa revolves_aa around_ social_aa injustice_aa and_aa inequality._aa Based_aa on_ the_aa
existing_aa evidence,_aa when_aa social_ injustice_aa elements_aa invade_aa the_aa social_a work_aa
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system,_aa the_aa practices_aa and_aa approaches_aa adopted_aa by_aa social_aa workers_aa fail_aa to_aa
make_aa a_aa positive_ lasting_aa impact_aa on_a community_aa members_aa who_aa need_aa help_aa
and_aa assistance_aa (Hosken,_aa 2018)._aa Social_aa injustice_ diminishes _aa fairness, _aa and _aa the _a
fundamental_aa purpose_aa of_aa social_a workers_aa gets_aa lost.
Literature_aa Review
Social_aa justice_aa is_a the_aa key_aa ingredient_aa in_aa social_aa work_ that_aa helps_aa in_aa
promoting_aa fairness._aa It_aa fundamentally_aa ensures_aa that_aa inequalities_a that_aa exist_aa at_aa
the_aa systemic_aa and_ institutional_aa levels_aa are_aa effectively_aa overcome_aa (Bláhová,_aa
2022)._ As_aa the_ issue_aa of_aa social_ injustice_aa has_aa been_ prevalent_aa in_ social_aa
work_aa context_aa for_ a_aa long_aa time,_aa social_a workers_aa must_aa consider_aa its_aa long_aa
history_aa as_aa well_aa as_aa the_aa main_a bottlenecks_aa that_aa exist_aa due_aa to_ which_aa the_aa
needs_aa of_aa marginalized_aa member_aa of_aa the_aa society_aa remain_aa unfulfilled._aa To_aa
effectively_aa overcome_aa the_aa issue_aa pertaining_aa to_aa social_aa injustice_aa and_aa inequality,_aa
both_aa individuals_aa as_aa well_aa as_aa organizations_aa need_aa to_aa play_aa a_a proactive_aa role_aa
in_aa the_aa social_aa work_aa setting_aa so_aa that_aa the_aa social_aa objectives_aa can_aa be_aa achieved_aa
at_aa an_aa integrated_aa level._a Hosken_aa (2018)_aa has_aa argued_ that_aa it_a is_aa imperative_aa to_aa
identify_aa how_aa social_ injustice_aa creeps_aa into_aa social_a work_aa and_aa adversely_aa affects_aa
the_aa ability_aa of_a social_aa workers_aa to_aa carry_aa out_aa their_ roles_aa and_aa responsibilities._
The_aa proactive_aa involvement_aa of_ social_aa workers_aa in_aa social_aa policy_aa practice_aa can _
empower_aa them_aa to_aa understand_aa how_aa policies_aa work_aa and_aa how_ they_aa can_aa be_aa
effectively_aa implemented_aa at_aa the_aa practical_aa level_aa to_aa mitigate_aa social_aa issues_a
(Pawar,_aa 2019)._aa It_aa has_aa been_aa argued_a that_aa the_aa adoption_a of_aa transformative_aa
practices_aa by_aa social_aa workers_aa can_aa help_aa to_aa identify_aa and_aa address_aa poorly_aa
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planned_aa institutional_aa policies_aa that_aa contribute_aa to_aa social_aa injustice_aa and_
inequality._aa Similarly,_aa for_aa promoting_aa justice_ and_aa fairness_aa in_aa the_aa social_aa work_a
context,_aa social_aa workers_aa need_aa to_aa carry_aa out_aa their_aa duties_aa in_aa an_aa ethical_aa and_aa
responsible_aa manner_aa by_aa integrating_aa ethical_aa principles_aa such_aa as _a integrity,_aa
responsibility,_aa fairness,_aa justice,_aa respect,_ and_aa accountability_aa (Teasley_aa et_aa al.,_aa
2022).
Methodical_aa Approach
A_aa qualitative_aa research_ method_aa has_aa been_a identified_aa as_aa an_aa ideal_aa approach_aa
that_aa will_aa help_aa to_aa uncover_aa the_aa issue_aa at_aa an_aa in-depth_aa level._aa One_aa of_aa the_aa
distinguishing_aa features_aa of_aa a_aa qualitative_aa study_aa is _ that_ it_aa uses_ a_aa subjective_aa
approach_aa to_aa explore_ and_aa examine_aa an_aa issue._aa As_aa the_aa analysis_aa is_aa not_aa
restricted_aa to_aa facts_aa and_aa figures,_aa it_ is_aa possible_aa to_aa uncover_aa non-quantitative_aa
elements_aa such_aa as_aa experiences,_aa behaviours,_aa etc._aa By_ adopting_aa a_aa qualitative_
research_aa approach,_aa there_aa is_ an_aa opportunity_aa to_aa consider_ the_aa experiences_aa of_aa
social_aa workers_aa as_aa well_aa as_aa the_aa community_a members_aa whom_aa they_aa serve_a
(Sewell_aa et_aa al.,_aa 2023)._aa It_aa can_aa help_ to_aa uncover_ how_aa the_aa prevalence_aa of_aa
injustice_aa and_aa inequality_aa has_aa adversely_aa affected_aa vulnerable_aa and_aa marginalized_aa
members_aa of_aa the_a community.
For_aa uncovering_aa the_a severity_aa of_aa the_ issue_aa relating_aa to_ social_aa injustice_aa and_aa
inequality,_aa a_aa diverse_aa range_aa of_aa secondary_aa sources_a will_aa be_aa used._aa These_aa
sources_aa will_aa play_ an_aa integral_aa role_aa in_a the_aa research_aa study_aa since_aa they_ will_aa
help_aa to_aa strengthen_aa the_aa theoretical_aa understanding_aa of_ the_aa topic,_aa including_ the_aa
severity_aa of_aa the_a identified_aa problem._aa By_aa integrating_aa the_aa available_ sources_aa into_aa
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the_aa study,_aa it_aa will_aa be_aa possible_aa to_aa understand_aa the_aa depth_aa of_aa the_aa problem,_aa
especially_aa how_aa social_aa injustice_aa exists_aa in_ the_aa social_aa work_ system_aa and_aa
weakens_aa the_aa quality_aa of_aa service_aa that_aa is_a delivered.
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References
Bláhová,_aa S._aa (2022)._ Social_aa justice:_aa the_a path_aa to_aa unity._ SN_aa Social_a Sciences,_aa
2(8),_aa 128.
Hosken,_aa N._aa (2018)_aa “Practices_aa of_ exclusion_aa and_a injustices_aa within_aa social_aa
work_aa education,”_aa Social_aa Work_aa Education, _aa 37(7), _aa pp. _a 825–837. _aa Available _aa
at:_aa https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2018.1456519._aa
Munford,_aa R.,_aa &_a Sanders,_aa J. _a (2021)._aa Transformative_aa practice:_aa Social_aa work_aa
practice_aa with_aa vulnerable_aa young_aa people._a European _aa Journal _aa of _aa Social _aa
Work,_aa 24(4),_aa 720-731.
O'Brien,_aa M._aa (2017)._ Social_aa work_aa and_ the_aa practice_aa of_a Social_aa Justice:_aa An_aa
initial_aa overview._aa Aotearoa_aa New_a Zealand_aa Social_aa Work,_aa 21(1-2),_aa 3–10._aa
https://doi.org/10.11157/anzswj-vol21iss1-2id308
Pawar,_aa M._aa (2019)._ Social_aa Work_aa and_a social_aa policy_aa practice:_aa Imperatives_aa for_aa
political_aa engagement._aa The_a International_aa Journal_aa of_ Community_aa and_aa
Social_aa Development,_aa 1(1),_aa 15–27._aa https://doi.org/10.1177/2516602619833219
Payne,_aa M._aa (2020)._a Modern _aa social _aa work _aa theory._aa Bloomsbury_aa Publishing.
Sewell,_aa K._aa M.,_aa Occhiuto,_aa K.,_aa Tarshis,_aa S.,_a Kalmanovitch,_aa A.,_aa &_ Todd,_aa S._aa
(2023)._aa Simulation_aa in_ social _a work_aa education:_aa a_aa qualitative_aa study_aa of_a
standardized_aa clients’_aa experiences._aa Social_aa Work_aa Education,_aa 1-18.
Teasley,_aa M._aa L.,_a Dettlaff,_aa A._aa J.,_aa &_aa Abrams,_aa L._aa S._aa (2022)._aa Some_aa
Comments_aa on_aa the_aa Notion_aa of_aa Social_a Work_aa as_aa a_aa Human_ Service_aa
Cartel._aa Research_aa on_aa Social_aa Work_aa Practice,_aa 32(6),_aa 710-713.
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