THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGANSCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK COURSE TITLE Organizational, Community, and Societal Structures and Processes DIVISION NUMBER: 777 COURSE NUMBER: 502 CREDIT HOURS: 3 PREREQUISITES: None LOCATION: Foundation HBSE Course Instructor: Michael A. Dover Class sessions: Tuesday, 6:00-9:00 p.m. Office Hours: Tuesday 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. by appointment Other Times By Appointment Office: Room 3798 Mailbox: Top Drawer of file cabinet by faculty mailbox slot on the Northwest side of the first floor Phone: (734)645-6261 Email: [email protected] 1. Course Description: This course will examine theory and research knowledge about political, economic, and societal structures and processes related to communities, groups and organizations within contemporary American society. Consideration will be given to ways in which these social systems have significant social, political, economic, and psychological impact on the functioning of individuals, families and social groups. This course will provide a framework for understanding the influences of these significant social systems on individuals, families, and groups with whom social workers practice. Communities, organizations and other large social units will be examined in terms of risk and protective factors that promote or detract from optimal individual and group well-being. 2. Course Content: This course will give special attention to the critical evaluation of theory and research knowledge about social change and social processes within an organizational, community, societal and international context. Emphasis will be placed on oppression, discrimination, prejudice, and privilege and their relationship to social and economic justice for populations served by social workers. This knowledge will be considered within a context of social work values and ethics that support the general welfare of all citizens, especially the disadvantaged and oppressed. 3. Course Objectives: Upon completion of the course, students will be able to: 1. Identify, describe, and discuss selected theoretical perspectives on organizational, community, and societal structures, processes, and change as well as social and behavioral science knowledge.22. Describe and discuss the impact of communities, organizations and other societal groups on the social environment interactions between individuals, families and small groups. 3. Describe and discuss the meaning of multiculturalism and diversity and their consequences in American society for community, organizational and societal functioning. 4. Identify, describe, and discuss the role of risk and protective social factors in relation to social problems, social work interventions, and social/economic justice. 5. Identify, describe, and discuss major processes and contemporary manifestations of oppression, discrimination, prejudice, power and privilege as they impact on the social environment, especially in relation to women, people of color, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered persons. 6. Identify, describe, and discuss barriers to organizational and community competence, especially those derived from race, ethnicity, culture, social class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental ability, age, and national origin 7. Critically evaluate organizational, community, and societal structures and processes that seek to promote social and economic justice by applying professional values and ethics. 8. Critically evaluate and apply social and behavioral science knowledge about macro systems to generalist social work practice. 4. Course Design: Required readings will be selected by the instructor. Suggested references will be included for each session, along with a list of books related to this course. Selection of required readings, coursepack items, and texts will be made in coordination with instructors of the other HBSE foundation course sections. 5. Relationship of the Course to Four Curricular Themes: • Multiculturalism and Diversity will be addressed through presentation of theory and research on their role in community, organizational and societal functioning and well-being. • Social Justice and Social Change will be addressed through discussion of the role of risk factors and preventive social factors in relation to social problems and social work interventions. • Promotion, Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation will be addressed through discussion of programs and systemic interventions to prevent stress and oppression of individuals, families, and groups and enhance their quality of life and well-being. • Behavioral and Social Sciences Research will be addressed through its inclusion in the description of the social environment and its impact on individuals, families and groups. 6. Relationship of the Course to Social Work Ethics and Values: This course will address ethical and value issues related to working with organizations, communities, and societal structures and processes. The NASW Code of Ethics will be used to inform practice in this area. Examples of ethical and value related issues will include: the social worker’s responsibility to promote the general welfare of society by preventing and eliminating discrimination, ensuring equal access to resources, expanding choices and opportunities for all persons, encouraging respect for diversity, advocating for changes in social policies, and encouraging informed participation by the public. In addition, issues related to organizations will be covered, such as preventing discrimination in the work place, improving agency policies and procedures, and increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of organizations.37. Instructor’s addendum In order to implement the above course description, course content and course objectives, and interpret the learning and teaching process of social work education as related to the content of this course, the course has been designed with three tracks, with one hour per track in each class session. These three tracks titles are consistent with the three Schematic Depiction areas for Social Work 502, devised by Prof. Beth Reed. In shorthand these three tracks will be referred to as the social context track, the oppression track, and the theory track. Track one: Social Contexts of social work: Society, human service organizations, and communities. The first track concerns the macrosocial context of the practice of social work