Critical Social Work: Bridging the Micro-Macro Divide

This is an elective course that examines the multidimensional (e.g., social, biological, environmental), multi-systemic (e.g., housing, health, criminal justice), and multi-level (e.g., micro, exo, macro) influences that shape human development, behavior, and environment. CSW bridges individual and community practice by acknowledging that macro forces have micro consequences and that micro practices are reflective of macro sociopolitical processes. In this course, the critical perspective of Transformative Potential is used to stress the necessity of working toward social, political, economic and environmental justice. This course will operate on three levels: 1) A critical examination of social work practice and education for developing transformative potential; 2) An engagement of students in development of their transformative potential; and, 3) Gaining familiarity with how to develop transformative potential in the field (i.e., the field of social work and in the field with clients) through project-based learning. For the critical examination component, this course will introduce students to major theoretical paradigms, conceptual frameworks and models that inform critical social work practice and can be utilized to understand, assess, intervene and evaluate practice with individuals, groups and communities. Then, students will engage in their own process of transformative potential development of critical consciousness, responsibility, efficacy and action to move from knowing to doing. Lastly, CSW will integrate coursework in research, human behavior in the social environment (HBSE), social justice, and social work practice to enable students to facilitate the development of transformers of self, relationships, communities and sociopolitical and cultural contexts.