Social work academia and policy in Puerto Rico
This chapter examines the engagement of social work academics in the policy process in Puerto Rico. It begins by presenting an overview of social policy in Puerto Rico and its ties with the United States, and by discussing the emergence of the social work profession in the Island. The development of social work education in Puerto Rico and its contemporary features are then depicted. Following these, the methodology and the findings of a study of the policy engagement of social work academics in Puerto Rico are presented. The findings relate to the levels of engagement in policy and the forms that this takes. The study also offers insights into various factors that are associated with these, such as perceptions, capabilities, institutional support and the accessibility of the policy process. The chapter concludes with an analysis of the findings and their implications.