Social Work and the Grand Challenge to Eliminate Racism: Concepts, Theory, and Evidence Based Approaches

This text offers a compendium of knowledge and perspectives from leading researchers dedicated to examining various forms of racism and their distinctions and impact on racial groups. Each chapter promotes both evidence and practice-based research that cultivates improvements in the daily lives of people affected by racism. The text also advocates for the facilitation of systemic change on the individual, organizational, community, and greater societal levels. With this advocacy perspective, the authors aim to advance community empowerment and advocacy to address and eliminate both racism and white supremacy. The authors identify the link between racism and social determinants of both physical/mental health and social well-being aiming to foster development of an anti-racist social work framework that promotes access to resources and opportunities that encompass transdisciplinary collaboration among the workforce. From a historical perspective, the book also examines the link between historical racial oppression and its contemporary effects and counterparts within racialized economic injustice. In sum, the authors collectively promote both teaching and learning within social work education programs that place emphasis on examining structural inequalities and white privilege - as well as the impacts on individual and group outcomes. To combat this, the text calls upon all social workers to develop a policy agenda for eliminating racism and white supremacy at the institutional and organizational level where structural racism is rampant, evident, and causes the most damage among marginalized groups.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Section I History, Racism, & Social Work Education Chapter 1 The Meaning and Function of Race & Racism: A Conceptual Understanding Chapter 2 Antiracism Social Work: History and the Challenge Ahead Chapter 3 Using Personal-Professional Narratives as a Technique for Teaching Chapter 4 Eradicating Racism: Social Work's Most Pressing Grand Challenge. Section II Racism and Individual and Family Wellbeing Chapter 5 Ending Racism: A Critical Perspective Chapter 6 Ensure the Healthy Development for Youth: Expansions and Elaborations for Equity Chapter 7 Ensuring Healthy Development for All Youth: Prevention Of Psychosis Chapter 8 Closing the Health Gap: Addressing Racism, Settler Colonialism and White Supremacy Chapter 9 Integrating AASW&SW's Grand Challenges of Productive Aging with Anti-Racism and Health Equity Lenses to Improve Population Health Chapter 10 Racism and the Grand Challenge of Ending Family Violence Among Black Families SECTION III Eliminating Racism through Strengthening the Social Fabric Chapter 11 Beyond Colorism: The Impact of Racialization in U.S. Latinxs Chapter 12 Confronting the History of Racism Against Asian Americans in the U.S. Chapter 13 Strengthening the Social Responses to the Human Impacts of Environmental Change Chapter 14 Race and Racism in the Homelessness Crisis in the United States: Historic Antecedents, Current Best Practices and Recommendations to End Racial Disparities in Housing and Homelessness Chapter 15 Eradicating Social Isolation: Focus on Social Exclusion and Racism Section IV Progressive Approaches to Eliminating Institutional, Social Policy, and Economic Racism Chapter 16 Juvenile Justice for Achieving Equal Opportunity and Justice Chapter 17 From Mass Incarceration to Smart Decarceration 561 Chapter 18 Reducing Racialized Barriers to School Success for All Children & Youth Chapter 19 Reversing Extreme Inequality Chapter 20 White Supremacy and American Social Policy: Implications for Racism-Centered Policy Practice Chapter 21 Policy, Practice and Institutional Barriers to FCAB for All Related to Race (Racism) in the U.S.

About the Author :
Martell Teasley, PhD, MSW, Dean of the College of Social Work at the University of Utah, and President of the National Association of Deans and Directors of Schools of Social Work. Michael S. Spencer, PhD, MSSW, University of Washington (UW) Presidential Term Professor in Social Work and the Director of Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Oceanic Affairs at the UW Indigenous Wellness Research Institute. Melissa Bartholomew, JD, MDiv, MSW, Associate Dean for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging and Instructor of Divinity, Harvard Divinity School.

Review :
Finally, a textbook for the social work profession that dares to challenge the unyielding stain of American racism and its many attributes. The text provides readers with multiple historical references and perspectives about race and racism in our society. Research cited within the text supports that disparities exist in every institutional system due to policies, practices, and attitudes that are deeply rooted in long-held biases and beliefs about race. The authors explain the role that the social work profession must engage in to become an antiracist profession in bending the arc of justice towards equality and equity for all. Drs. Teasley, Spencer, and Bartholomew are thought leaders in social work and theology on race, racism, and oppression. They have done an excellent job in providing a comprehensive overview of race, racism, and oppression within the social work profession. The authors draw from history, theoretical concepts, and frameworks to enhance the reader's knowledge of race, racism, and race relations in social work. The book explores how structural racism and white supremacy intersect and impact the other 12 Grand Challenges for Social Work. The writings in this book support classroom learning and interventions and makes an important contribution to the social work profession. Although systemic racism is undoubtedly at the core of the social problems reflected in each of the twelve 'original' grand challenges, the move to include 'Eliminate racism' as a separate and explicit Grand Challenge is to be applauded. That said, the task is monumental. This book provides invaluable direction and serves as a resounding and well-informed call to action for the social work profession to make significant progress on what has been a dark stain on this country. This excellent work will appeal to scholars and educators interested in a refresher on historical racism and a primer for anti-racist practice. Highly recommended.