Leading the charge in addressing racism and bias

Implications for social work training and practice

Bibliographic Data

ID21496080
AuthorsSarah Ross Bussey (0000-0001-7702-5538, Mount Sinai Health System, corresponding author), Monica X Thompson (City University of New York Graduate School and University Center), Edward Poliandro (Mount Sinai Health System)
Year2022
Volume41
Issue5
Pages907-925
Publication date2022-07-04
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocial Work Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0261-5479 • E-ISSN: 1470-1227
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/02615479.2021.1903414
OpenAlexW3148479289
LanguageEN
Citations received12
References cited40

As a profession with social justice as an ethical mandate, social work is well positioned to lead systems towards anti-racist practice and equity through consciousness-raising efforts. At a time of heightened overt bigotry, polarization, and ‘othering,’ training social workers on how to identify, name, and disrupt oppressive practices is that much more critical. This paper outlines the development and components of customized anti-racist/anti-bias trainings for the Social Work Department of a large, urban healthcare system in the US. The trainings were developed in partnership with the system’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion and built upon unconscious bias core curriculum. The trainings intentionally drew connections between systemic oppressive structures, US history, the creation and maintenance of dominant narratives, and micro-level bias, all of which culminate in inequitable outcomes and disparate experiences for service users and communities. This paper suggests possible application and implications of such trainings to diverse settings including classrooms and organizations. Social workers benefit from enhancing their ability to analyze their role in perpetuating racism and bias in organizations and with the people served

Criminology · Critical consciousness · Mandate · Pedagogy · Political science · Public relations · Racism · Sociology · Education Discipline and Inequality · Gender Studies · Homelessness and Social Issues · Law · Psychology · Social Work Education and Practice · Social Work