“Theory’s Cool, But Theory With No Practice Ain’t Shit…”

Abstract

As it stands today, social work education falls short in providing critical theories and frameworks that reflect the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Such insufficiencies maintain racism and other forms of oppression that plague both social work pedagogy and praxis. To challenge and dismantle hegemonic curricula, social work education needs to do more to provide the knowledge and tools necessary for anti-racist social work. The purpose of this article is to present five critical theories and frameworks written by Indigenous and People of Color scholars that social work educators, researchers, and practitioners can integrate into their teaching and practice to raise the critical consciousness of social work students. These five postulations are Compa Love, Racial Triangulation Theory, Breath of Life Theory, kapwa, and cultural wealth. The article will also discuss implications for social work education and practice. Centering the voices of under-represented scholars whose epistemologies are rooted in the lived experiences and communities that the field of social work traverses provides a pathway for social work education and practice to be tailored towards self-determination for all.

Análisis bibliométrico del campo de trabajo social: una mirada a partir de la producción científica en revistas de impacto internacional

“…Si bien hay una aparente variabilidad, todos los temas convergen en la búsqueda relacionada a la protección de aspectos individuales o sociales, como la salud o dinámicas de los grupos; este comportamiento temático corresponde de manera coherente a los saberes disciplinarios de la profesión, dotándola de herramientas teóricas para intervenir. Aunque el trabajo social se ha adaptado de manera rápida a la producción científicointelectual, la investigación aún se considera reducida y la práctica se encuentra limitada por el mismo marco teórico referencial (Maglalang & Rao, 2021). Para dar solución a la falta de teorías y campos epistemológicos que mejoren la comprensión y análisis de fenómenos de estudio para la elaboración de investigaciones aplicadas, es necesario que se adopten e impulsen aquellos aspectos que hacen de una disciplina, una ciencia.…”

Essentials of ‘the Great Reset’ through Complexity Matching

“…Such initiatives have facilitated greater inclusivity, creating a diverse and equitable social culture [136]. However, to achieve these goals, it is necessary to consider the diverse perspectives within the community and work towards dismantling systemic barriers [137]. Implementing inclusive decision-making processes is essential for fostering a society that values diversity and inclusivity [138].…”

Whose Knowledge Heals? Transforming Teaching in the Struggle for Health Equity

“…For community health improvement process development, departments must demonstrate engagement with multiple community organizations and review local impacts on exclusionary policies (e.g., redlining) and disinvestment ( Public Health Accreditation Board, 2022 ). To train the critical, anti-racist professionals needed to equitably assure these services, we need critical, anti-racist health workforce development ( Bonini & Matias, 2021 ; French et al, 2020 ; Maglalang & Rao, 2021 ; Ramirez-Valles et al, 2022 ; Tsai et al, 2021 ).…”