Gentle, Angry Women Creating Change

Bibliographic Data

ID12143131
AuthorsSusan E Roche (University of Vermont, Burlington, corresponding author)
Year2009
Volume24
Issue4
Pages345-347
Publication date2009-11-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAffilia (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0886-1099 • E-ISSN: 1552-3020
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0886109909343562
OpenAlexW2019473393
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited15

Today, many of us in social work are ‘‘gentle, angry people’’ (Near, 2002). We live and work in a time of war and global economic crisis. Our gentleness is formed of a tender compassion for those who suffer the impacts. Our anger is directed at the greed that has led to ‘‘billions of dollars in cuts . . . in domestic discretionary . . . and entitlement programs’’ (Abramovitz, 2009, p. 106) and the harmful effects on people who did not create these problems. We know too well the loss and pain that neoliberal policies and the actions of some of the wealthiest have produced around the world. The loss of lives, jobs, and homes. The loss of dignity and futures. The worsening health and lack of medical care. The spread of hunger and hopelessness. The increase of violence in families and communities (Golie, 2006). We know that, as always, the most marginalized people bear the heaviest brunt of material and social exigency. Despite the years of cuts in domestic services, public budgets are overburdened by debt, and social services that have survived are being retrenched. As part of the retrenchment, many social workers’ already unrealistic workloads are being increased. Others’ jobs are being eliminated altogether. Under these conditions, an unfeasible job seems more preferable than having no job, and better judgment is silenced into bitter acquiescence. So far, this is a grim story. However, as in every story of struggle, there are tendrils of resistance and alternatives scattered throughout these current events. In November 2008, for example, the United States elected its first African American president through effective grassroots organizing on a platform of change. Time will tell, but so far, President Obama has held steadily to his platform. Social and economic justice and human rights continue to be central value premises articulated by social work. Social workers find many ways to express these value commitments through their practice, education, and scholarship, even now. Among its many publications, social work continues to have a thriving feminist social work journal with a transformative mission of change

Homelessness and Social Issues · Intimate Partner and Family Violence · Psychology · Social Work Education and Practice

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