Unit 4: Human Diversity

Chapter 4: Diversity and Social Justice

Copyright © 2012 Cengage Learning, Brooks/Cole Publishing.


Social Work: A Competency-Oriented Education

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)

- Defines Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAs)

- Developed 10 “Core Competencies” and 41 Related “Practice Behaviors”

Every student should master the Practice Behaviors and Core Competencies before completing the program


Resources Aligned to EPAS 2008

The Textbook –

- “Helping Hands” icons call attention to content that relates to Practice Behaviors and Competencies

- “Competency Notes” at the end of the chapter help put the Practice Behaviors and Competencies in practical context


Resources Aligned to EPAS 2008 (cont’d)

The Practice Behaviors Workbook developed

with the text provides assignable exercises that assist in mastering the Practice Behavior and Competencies

Additional on-line resources can be found at: www.cengage.com/socialwork


Social justiceSocial justice can be defined as full participation of

all groups in a society that is mutually shaped to

meet their needs and ensures that all of its

members are psychologically safe and secure

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.4c


Prejudice and discrimination

• Social inequality – product of prejudice and

discrimination• Prejudice – preconceived judgment formed

without adequate information• Stereotypes – beliefs that members of certain

groups behave in specific ways

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.4c


Prejudice and discrimination

• Discrimination – action that maintains and supportsprejudice and denies to members of minority groups equal access to opportunities such aseducation, housing, and employment

• Institutional discrimination – occurs as result of accepted beliefs and behaviors and is codified in societal roles and policies

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.4c


Prejudice and discrimination• Oppression – unjust use of power against non-

dominant groups by the dominant group to exploit

those groups to its advantage• Populations at risk – groups that experience

prejudice, discrimination, and oppression from the

dominant group

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.4c


Social and economic justice: Women

• Women still experience discrimination• Equality for women means equal rights, not more

rights than men have• Women not always paid comparable wages in

comparison to men

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5a


Gender and income• Women earn less than men; women of color earn

less than Caucasian women• The median weekly earnings ratio between men

and women was 79.2% in 2010• Women are more often in lower level positions than

men in religion, politics, social work

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5a


Gender issues• Men hold leadership positions in professions that

predominantly employ women

• Over 80% of all social work practitioners are

women

• Slightly more than 15% of state governors are

women

• About 25% of state legislators are women

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5a


Gender issues (cont’d)

• Institutional sexism – negative, differential treatment of individuals because of their gender or sex

• Sexual harassment – unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physicalconduct of a sexual nature that affect a person’s employment, job performance, or create an intimidating or hostile work environment


EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5a

Issues related to reproductive rights

• Some frame issues as conflict between status of human embryo and women’s right to privacy and choice

• Other issues include rights of minors, men, and medical determinations such as risk of women’s health, third trimester abortions, and emergency contraception


EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5a

Issues related to reproductive rights• Social workers have diverse viewpoints on

issuesrelated to reproductive rights

• Social work profession supports compassion for • clients, client self-determination, and appropriate

referrals regardless of personal beliefs, as well as respect for diverse points of view

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5a


Social reform: the feminist movement • 19th Amendment to Constitution (right to vote)

enacted in 1920• Civil Rights Act of 1964 • Equal Rights Amendment – passed by Congress

in 1972 but not ratified by all states• Both NASW and CSWE support social and

economic justice for women in many ways

EP 2.1.5b, 2.1.5c


Sexual orientation • The direction of one’s sexual interests toward

members of the same, opposite, or both sexes• Persons who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or

transgender, experience prejudice, oppression, and discrimination

• Homophobia – negative emotional reaction to homosexuality/persons who are homosexual

EP 2.1.5b, 2.1.5c


Sexual orientation (cont’d)• Sodomy laws declared unconstitutional in 2003• Only 27 states have hate crimes legislation

that includes sexual orientation • Rights and benefits of same-sex couples hotly

debated, progress toward achieving parity with those of heterosexual couples mixed

• Gay/lesbian parents experience discrimination

EP 2.1.5b, 2.1.5c


Social and economic justice• People at the low end of the economic structure

experience class-based discrimination regardlessof ethnicity

• Classism – discrimination toward members of a group because of their economic status

• Women and people of color more likely to be poor because of oppression

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5a


Social and economic justice (cont’d)

• Underclass – oppressed people unable to escape

poverty due to societal barriers• Underclass will increase without access to higher

education and training in technology• Increase in underclass impacts us all

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5a


Race and ethnicity• Persons singled out because of physical or

cultural traits experience discrimination• It is expected that people will adopt values and

behaviors of dominant group• Cultural pluralism - coexistence of various groups

whose cultural differences are respected as equally valid

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5a


Race and Ethnicity (cont’d)

• Those who discriminate are members of groups

that were discriminated against at some point

historically; i.e., early immigrants to U.S.• Important to be aware that in spite of common

history and oppression experienced by a specific

group, there is still rich diversity within that group

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5a


African Americans

• Approximately 12% of U.S. population • Majority live in southern states• About 50% live in inner-cities • Experience differential treatment• Income about two-thirds that of whites• Three times more likely to be unemployed and live

in poverty than whites

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5a


African Americans (cont’d)• Under-represented in medicine, business, law• Over-represented in manual labor jobs• Less likely to finish high school or go to college

than whites

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5a


Latinos

• About 15% of U.S. population• Expected to comprise 25% of U.S. population by

2050• Largest sub-group is Mexican Americans• Growing number of new immigrants from South

and Central America becoming the new poor, work in lowest-wage jobs

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5a


Latinos (cont’d)• Undocumented immigrants at risk of exploitation• Language barriers result in discrimination,

controversies over bilingual education• Issue for many Latinos is retaining language as

part of culture• Earn less than their white counterparts• Less likely to finish high school, go to college

than whites

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5a


Asians and Pacific Islanders• Includes Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Thais,

Malaysians, Pakistanis, Filipinos, Cambodians, Indians, Vietnamese, and Pacific Islanders

• Less than 5% of the U.S. population • Chinese largest sub-group, followed by Filipinos

and Asian Indians

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5a


Asians and Pacific Islanders

• Many groups preserve heritage by living in enclaves in urban areas (e.g., “China town”)

• In spite of efforts to assimilate, still experience much discrimination

• Language barrier results in discrimination• Many groups live in poverty in substandard

conditions

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5a


Native Americans• Less than 0.5% of U.S. population• Have experienced considerable oppression since

early immigrants first came to U.S.• Diverse group - 75% report being members

of one of the approximately 300 tribes in the U.S.• Many live in poverty conditions on reservations in

rural areas; others in urban areas

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5a


Native Americans (cont’d)• Few opportunities for minimum wage

employment, though some tribes have strong

economic development programs• Lowest level of education for any group• Only 20% have high school degrees

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5a


Efforts to produce social justice for populations at risk

• Integration of military in 1948• School desegregation in 1950s, busing in 1970s

and 1980s• Civil Rights Act and Economic Opportunity Act

passed in 1964• Affirmative action, equal employment opportunity,

compensatory justice

EP 2.1.5b, 2.1.5c


Uneven progress• Polarization on issues such as affirmative action

and compensatory justice• U.S. Supreme Court ruling on college admissions• Continued racial profiling by law enforcement• Welfare reform exemplifies ambivalence toward

how much effort should be given to improving opportunity structure for oppressed groups

EP 2.1.2a, 2.1.4a, 2.1.5a


Social work and civil rights • social work profession is committed to social

justice - achieving a society in which all members

have access to the same rights and privileges

without regard to gender, race, ethnic affiliation,

creed, age, sexual orientation, or physical and

mental capacities

EP 2.1.4c


Social work and civil rights (cont’d)• NASW, CSWE give high priority to inclusion in both

education and practice• Focus on strengths of individuals and groups to

which they belong as well as impact of discrimination and oppression on clients and client systems

• Emphasize advocacy for and empowerment of at-risk populations

EP 2.1.4c
