Running Head: Social injustice and inequality in the social work field
Social injustice and inequality in the social work field
University of Walden
SOCW 6301
March 26,2023
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The first article, “Social justice: the path to unity” by Bláhová, focuses on social
justice and existing issues in society relating to the injustice that can be effectively
tackled (Bláhová, 2022). In this article, the author poses the research question –
“What is the role of social justice in achieving unity in society?” Bláhová identified
that social justice is a multifaceted, complex concept that is central to many
contemporary political and social debates. By focusing on the role of social justice in
promoting unity in society, this article highlights the potential benefits and important
aspects of this concept. Here, the author used a qualitative and literature review
approach to analyze the relationship between unity in society and social justice. It has
focused on a wide range of disciplines, including political science, sociology, and
philosophy, to drive a multidisciplinary perspective on the topic.
In the article “Cultural competence and cultural humility: A critical reflection
on key cultural diversity concepts,” Danso (2016) focuses on the research question-
‘What are the key concepts of cultural competence and cultural humility, and how can
they be critically reflected upon to improve cultural diversity in various settings?”
Here the author highlights the importance of cultural humility and cultural competence
in promoting diversity in various settings (Danso, 2016). The author used a critical
reflection approach to get a deeper understanding of the concepts, limitations and
strengths. The combination of a critical reflection approach and comprehensive analysis
of the concepts is used as the qualitative research method to examine the key
concepts of cultural humility and cultural competence.
Hosken (2018) focuses on the research question – of how social injustice and
inequality can act as a major barrier and adversely impact the social work education
of learners in the social work domain. In the article “Practices of exclusion and
injustices within social work education,” the author emphasizes the experiences of
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marginalized students and the impact of injustice and exclusion on their learning
experiences (Hosken, 2018). A qualitative study approach is used with a critical
discourse analysis approach to examine marginalized students’ experiences in social
work education.
“Social work and the practice of Social Justice: An initial overview” by
O'Brien focus on the research question – “What is the relationship between social
work and the practice of social justice, and how can social workers incorporate social
justice into their practice?” This article gives insight into the relationship between
social work and social justice (O’Brien, 2017). A qualitative method with a conceptual
analysis approach is utilized to get an overview of the relationship between social
work and social justice based on various theoretical perspectives and literature.
In the article “Social Work and social policy practice: Imperatives for
political,” Pawar framed the research question – “What are the imperatives for social
work and social policy practice to engage in political action to promote social justice
and equity?” It provides a deeper insight into imperatives for social policy practice
and political action in social work (Pawar, 2019). A qualitative study approach is used
with a conceptual analysis to determine the relationship between social work, political
action and social policy.
In the article “Some Comments on the Notion of Social Work as a Human
Service Cartel,” Teasley, Dettlaff, & Abrams (2022) framed the research question –
“What are the implications of the notion of social work as a human service cartel for
the profession, its practitioners, and the people they serve?” It focuses on the values
that social workers possess, which impact the lives of vulnerable individuals (Teasley
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et al.,2022). A qualitative study approach is used to analyze different concepts and
examine the notion of social work.
References
Bláhová, S. (2022). Social justice: the path to unity. SN Social Sciences, 2(8), 128.
Danso, R. (2016). Cultural competence and cultural humility: A critical reflection on
key cultural diversity concepts. Journal of Social Work, 18(4), 410–430.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1468017316654341
Hosken, N. (2018) “Practices of exclusion and injustices within social work
education,” Social Work Education, 37(7), pp. 825–837. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2018.1456519.
O'Brien, M. (2017). Social work and the practice of Social Justice: An initial
overview. Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 21(1-2), 3–10.
https://doi.org/10.11157/anzswj-vol21iss1-2id308
Pawar, M. (2019). Social Work and social policy practice: Imperatives for political
engagement. The International Journal of Community and Social Development,
1(1), 15–27. https://doi.org/10.1177/2516602619833219
Teasley, M. L., Dettlaff, A. J., & Abrams, L. S. (2022). Some Comments on the
Notion of Social Work as a Human Service Cartel. Research on Social Work
Practice, 32(6), 710-713.
