The use of counter-narratives in a social work course from a critical race theory perspective

2020 ◽  
pp. 255-266
Author(s):  
Maria Avila ◽  
Adriana Aldana ◽  
Michelle Zaragoza
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Critical Race Theory ◽  
Critical Race ◽  
Race Theory ◽  
Counter Narratives

Island Nation, US Territory and Contested Space: Territorial Status As a Social Determinant of Indigenous Health in Guam

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 1069-1088
Author(s):  
Tressa P Diaz ◽  
Lana Sue I Ka‘opua ◽  
Susan Nakaoka
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Critical Race Theory ◽  
Indigenous Health ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Fourth Generation ◽  
Critical Race ◽  
Race Theory ◽  
Contested Spaces ◽  
Territorial Status

Abstract The United Nations and International Federation of Social Work affirm the right of all people to determine their political status, preserve their environments and pursue endeavours for well-being. This article focuses on CHamoru, Guam’s Indigenous people, and examines distal social determinants of health (SDOH) in the contested spaces of US territorial status and non-self-determining Indigenous nationhood. Published multi-disciplinary literature identified ways in which territorial status functions as an SDOH unique to non-self-determining Pacific Island nations. Indicated is the use of structural approaches that address mechanisms of US power and control, including economic policies that ‘defacto’ promote coca-colonisation and non-communicable diseases risk. Critical race theory centres race, colonisation and subversive narratives. In line with fourth-generation SDOH action-oriented research, we posit a CHamoru critical race theory model that weaves Indigenous, social work and public health perspectives. Lack of community input is a limitation of the current research. To assure relevance, the model will be vetted through community discussions. Our discussion guide may be tailored for other Indigenous communities. Social workers may play a meaningful role in promoting health equity through participatory action-oriented, cultural–political social work that upholds Indigenous self-determination and survivance in contested spaces.

Critical Race Theory

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Thandi Sulé
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Critical Race Theory ◽  
Racial Disparities ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Critical Race ◽  
Color Line ◽  
Race Theory ◽  
White People ◽  
Social Work Values ◽  
Legal Remedies

Critical race theory (CRT) is a framework that unapologetically asserts how and why race matters in the maintenance of U.S. policies and practices. In doing so, CRT counters discourse that situates discrimination and disparities within the realm of individual behaviors or psychological deficits. Therefore, racism is seen for what it is—a willful, institutionalized, and dehumanizing way of being. Though racism prevailed as the quintessential problem of the 20th century, the 21st century has revealed that the color line remains remarkably undisturbed. Whether one is focusing on housing, education, employment, wealth, health, safety, or justice, racial disparities and inequities exist to the disadvantage of racially minoritized people. Born out of discontent for legal remedies for inequality, CRT speaks to the universal way that racism immobilizes minoritized people—thereby providing an almost unwavering advantage to white people. This review provides an overview of the tenets of CRT and how those tenets connect with social work values and practice.

scholarly journals Critical Counter-Narrative as Transformative Methodology for Educational Equity

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 269-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Miller ◽  
Katrina Liu ◽  
Arnetha F. Ball
Keyword(s):  
Critical Race Theory ◽  
Multicultural Education ◽  
Educational Equity ◽  
Critical Race ◽  
Race Theory ◽  
Promising Tool ◽  
Counter Narrative ◽  
Counter Narratives ◽  
Fundamental Goal ◽  
Transformative Action

Counter-narrative has recently emerged in education research as a promising tool to stimulate educational equity in our increasingly diverse schools and communities. Grounded in critical race theory and approaches to discourse study including narrative inquiry, life history, and autoethnography, counter-narratives have found a home in multicultural education, culturally sensitive pedagogy, and other approaches to teaching for diversity. This chapter provides a systematic literature review that explores the place of counter-narratives in educational pedagogy and research. Based on our thematic analysis, we argue that the potential of counter-narratives in both pedagogy and research has been limited due to the lack of a unified methodology that can result in transformative action for educational equity. The chapter concludes by proposing critical counter-narrative as a transformative methodology that includes three key components: (1) critical race theory as a model of inquiry, (2) critical reflection and generativity as a model of praxis that unifies the use of counter-narratives for both research and pedagogy, and (3) transformative action for the fundamental goal of educational equity for people of color.

scholarly journals Moving From Multiculturalism to Critical Race Theory Within a School of Social Work

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 876-897
Author(s):  
Saanà A. Polk ◽  
Nicole Vazquez ◽  
Mimi E. Kim ◽  
Yolanda R. Green
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Critical Race Theory ◽  
White Supremacy ◽  
Transformational Change ◽  
Racial Justice ◽  
Critical Race ◽  
Race Theory ◽  
Personnel Practices ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
School Of Social Work

The continued presence of racism and white supremacy has risen to a crisis level as today’s global pandemic, police abuse targeting Black, Indigenous and other people of color (BIPOC) communities, and mass urban uprisings rock the nation. This article presents a case study of a West Coast school of social work that has carried out a five-year systematic campaign to move all levels of the program beyond a multicultural orientation towards critical race theory. This study reveals the results of a self-organized cross-racial committee within a school of social work, motivated by an ambitious goal to implement a racial justice orientation throughout the school’s personnel, practices, policies, and curricula. The committee has been further characterized by its commitment to engage across the power-laden divisions of field faculty, tenure track faculty, and administrative staff. The article offers documented stages of development, narratives from across differences of identity and professional role, and thick descriptions of strategies that led to the adoption and infusion of an intersectional critical race analysis throughout the school’s curricula. The organic development of the campaign and the leveraging of opportunities throughout the campus and across campuses offer important lessons for other schools of social work undergoing transformational change.

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