Investigating Diversity in Social Work Doctoral Education in the United States

Chin, Matthew; Hawkins, Jaclynn; Krings, Amy; Peguero-Spencer, Carolyn; Gutiérrez, Lorraine

doi:10.1080/10437797.2018.1503127

Cited by 15 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Now that we have discussed the social work doctoral student context, in this section we discuss the doctoral student experience broadly, and then center in on the BIPOC doctoral student experience. Research on diversity in social work doctoral education is wanting (Chin et al, 2018). We cite social work doctoral education research when it is available and refer to other BIPOC doctoral student research when social work research is unavailable.…”

Section: The Doctoral Student Experiencementioning

confidence: 99%

“…One often overlooked group under the BIPOC scholars umbrella for which this phenomenon is further compounded but often not as well researched (Chin et al, 2018) or understood is BIPOC doctoral students, many who find themselves simultaneously navigating the roles of student, peer, and instructor. Along with completing a rigorous educational program and advancing their own scholarly work, BIPOC doctoral students are also often doing the invisible labor of mentoring and holding space for fellow BIPOC students, educating students, faculty and/or administration on diversity, equity, and inclusion issues, contending with faculty expectations, and participating in unpaid diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) service work.…”

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confidence: 99%

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We Deserve to Thrive

Ocampo¹,

BlackDeer

2022

ASW

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The summer of 2020 saw a racial justice awakening among predominantly white scholars. While this “awakening” or reckoning regarding the long-standing racism in society is welcomed and necessary, we must recognize the stark differences in how this work is felt and ultimately in how the work needs to be done by different groups in society. While BIPOC scholars worked to balance the need to process and recover, self-preserve, and advocate, white peers formed book clubs and posted black squares to their social media sites. This distinction describes the frustrating reality that many BIPOC scholars experience in the work of undoing racism. We bear the unrelenting burdens of being oppressed, fighting racism, and trying to survive in a society that does not value our inherent dignity and worth. For BIPOC doctoral students who simultaneously navigate the roles of being a student, peer, and instructor, these burdens are threefold. We are expected to do the invisible work of mentoring and holding space for fellow BIPOC students while also educating white students and faculty/administrators on racial justice issues and contending with faculty expectations. These burdens are exacerbated as we see anti-racism quickly go in vogue and then fall out of favor soon after. The aftermath: unfulfilled promises and commitments by self-proclaimed anti-racists, leaving BIPOC scholars to pick up the pieces and solely shoulder the never-ending work of anti-racism. There is a continued lack of sustained commitment to achieving racial equity across the board. The steps that have been taken are often characterized by quick fixes that fall short of the real work that will lead to a racially just, equitable and inclusive community. The purpose of this paper is to bring attention to the challenges within the academy experienced by BIPOC social work doctoral students. Drawing upon our experience with creating a BIPOC-centered support group at a predominantly white institution (PWI), we provide insight and recommendations on how colleagues and administrators alike can take action to hold space, bolster, and better support BIPOC doctoral student scholars by creating inclusive educational environments, offering tailored, concrete, and formal supports, and ultimately creating an anti-racist academic culture free from all forms of oppression.

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Section: The Doctoral Student Experiencementioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

We Deserve to Thrive

Ocampo¹,

BlackDeer

2022

ASW

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“…Mentorship is a critical component for student success, particularly for underrepresented students (Lechuga-Peña & Lechuga, 2018). In their review of social work doctoral education over the last four decades, Chin et al (2018) noted some schools' efforts towards addressing diversity needs, particularly for BIPOC doctoral students. Their report highlighted critical areas that needed improvement to ensure BIPOC doctoral students were prepared for the job market, including mentorship, more extensive support networks, promoting critical reflexivity, increasing financial support, and a clear understanding of post-graduation processes.…”

Section: Implications For Supporting Bipoc Students In Social Work Do...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Disrupting White Supremacy

Mackey

Hernandez²,

Lechuga-Peña³

et al. 2022

ASW

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Social workers must participate in ongoing anti-racist and culturally attuned approaches to disrupt white supremacy in our profession, institutions, and society. Our social work mission, values, and ethics demand that we engage in social work education, practice, and scholarship that seeks social justice for all people. In line with these expectations, social work doctoral education is tasked with training the next generation of social work scholars by providing doctoral education that is responsive to society's most pressing social problems. While disrupting white supremacy is an aspirational goal, we argue that white supremacy infiltrates social work education, manifests itself in diverse ways over time, often isolating Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). We use testimonios to explore these issues and describe four BIPOC women’s experiences navigating their social work doctoral programs. From these insights, we contend that social work doctoral education continues to uphold white supremacy by promoting Western epistemologies and theories above other equally valid forms of knowledge, including non-Western schools of thought created by and for BIPOC scholars. We provide recommendations for alternative theories and epistemologies for social work curricula and offer implications to support BIPOC students in social work doctoral education.

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“…Recent studies suggest that a lack of diversity within doctoral training has implications for research and clinical practice (e.g., social work, nursing, and medicine; Callahan et al, 2018; Carey et al, 2018; Page et al, 2017). While extant research on doctoral training addresses diversity regarding race, gender, socioeconomic status, and disability, little research specifically focuses on the trajectories of BLSMM (Chin et al, 2018; Gardner & Holley, 2011; Green et al, 2017). Given the significant health and life opportunity challenges confronting BLSMM (e.g., substance use, mental health disorders, underemployment, and HIV), this represents a missed opportunity to expand the literature regarding the career trajectories of BLSMM researchers.…”

Section: Racial and Sexual Minority Underrepresentation In Science And The Public Health Workforcementioning

confidence: 99%

Racial and Sexual Minority Scholar Positionality: Advancing Health Status and Life Opportunity Among Sexual Minority Men of Color

Keene

Guilamo‐Ramos

2021

Health Educ Behav

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Black and Latino sexual minority men (BLSMM) scholars are well positioned to draw on their unique perspectives and expertise to address the health status and life opportunities (HSLO) of BLSMM. Increasingly, research related to the positionality of scholars of color suggests that the scholar’s stance in relation to the community being researched has important implications for the research. Despite growing recognition of the importance of scholar positionality, limited attention has been paid to the relationship between scholar-of-color positionality and improving HSLO trajectories of BLSMM. Furthermore, extant literature fails to specify the mechanisms by which scholar-of-color positionality can improve HSLO among BLSMM. This article seeks to fill this gap in research by arguing that an inadequate consideration of scholar positionality in health and life opportunity research has important implications for the HSLO of BLSMM. A multilevel, mediational model addressing factors at the micro-level (i.e., intrapersonal resources)—BLSMM scholars’ personal commitments to BLSMM communities, cultural knowledge and expertise, and shared life experiences; meso-level (i.e., scholar and affected community interactions)—historical membership, mutual interdependency and trust, and community and organizational gatekeeping; and macro-level (i.e., national policies and priorities regarding BLSMM)—national priorities regarding the health and social welfare of BLSMM, allocation of BLSMM research and program funding, societal sentiment, and national investment in the workforce development of BLSMM scholars and clinicians are detailed. In conclusion, we identify recommendations and strategies for advancing scientific, programmatic, and policy efforts, aimed at improving HSLO among communities of BLSMM.

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Investigating Diversity in Social Work Doctoral Education in the United States

Cited by 15 publications

References 30 publications

We Deserve to Thrive

We Deserve to Thrive

Disrupting White Supremacy

Racial and Sexual Minority Scholar Positionality: Advancing Health Status and Life Opportunity Among Sexual Minority Men of Color

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