THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK Course Number: Unique Number: Semester: Meeting Time/Place: SW 360K/395K 60860/61215 Spring, 2002 W 5:30-8:30 SSW 2.130 Instructor's name: Dennis Haynes, MSW, PhD Office Number: Office Phone: E-mail: Office Hours: SSW 2.244 471-9242 [email protected] M&W 4:00-5:30; and by appointment RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY IN SOCIAL WORK I. Course Description This course provides a framework of knowledge, values, skills and experiences for spiritually-sensitive social work practice. In order to prepare students to respond competently and ethically to diverse spiritual perspectives, a comparative, critically reflective approach to the content is utilized. Students will critically examine the roles of religion and spirituality in supporting or impeding human functioning and a socially just society. Students will develop self-awareness of religious and spiritual diversity and selected social work skill application in clinical, organizational, community or policy practice. This course will review the influence of diverse religious groups on the historical development of volunteerism, philanthropy and the helping professions. This cross-listed course elective is available across disciplines to both undergraduate and graduate students. From a social work perspective, it will examine the role of religion and spirituality in direct and indirect human services provision, volunteerism and philanthropy. II. Course Objectives By the end of the course, students will be able to: 1. Understand and analyze the history of the relationship between religion, spirituality, social work, other helping professions, volunteerism, and philanthropy. 2. Identify and comparatively reflect on diverse sectarian, nonsectarian/indigenous, and philosophical spiritual perspectives and their implications for micro/macro social work practice. 13. Critically analyze both the supportive and oppressive aspects of religious and spiritual perspectives concerning issues of human diversity; such as gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, and disability. 4. Demonstrate increased self-awareness of personal values and bias with religiously/spiritually diverse populations by analyzing personal and professional tensions in ethical social work practice. 5. Apply components of a spiritually-sensitive helping relationship to their own direct practice, including the creation of a spiritually-sensitive practice context. 6. Develop direct practice criteria for spiritually-sensitive assessment of human development, functioning, and well-being. 7. Evaluate practice competency and ethical guidelines for utilizing religiously- or spiritually-derived social work practice interventions; such as the use of religious or spiritual language or symbols, prayer, meditation, and ritual. 8. Identify the complexity and unique nature of managing and practicing in religious-based social service agencies/volunteer organizations and/or religiously/spiritually-oriented communities. 9. Identify strategies for developing effective collaborative relationships with religious/spiritual community leaders for client systems support. 10. Understand the agency and social policy issues related to religion/spirituality and religiously-affiliated human service delivery. 11. Develop a preliminary framework of knowledge, values, and skills for spiritually-sensitive social work in their own micro/macro practice. III. Teaching Methods The content of this course has the potential to be emotionally-charged. Guidelines will be established collaboratively by students and the instructor to create a respectful, safe and challenging learning environment. The instructor has the ultimate responsibility to manage differences and conflict that arise in the course. The instructor will incorporate a variety of teaching methods, including lecture, discussion, readings, audiovisual materials, small group activities, guest speakers, and experiential learning exercises. A variety of case examples will also be used to examine the role of religion and spirituality in micro/macro social work practice. IV. Required and Recommended Texts Canda, E.R., & Furman, L.D. (1999). Spiritual diversity in social work practice: The heart of helping. New York: The Free Press. SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIRED GRADUATE TEXT (Text will be used as part of the final graduate product. Recommended also as an undergraduate student reference text): Ellor, J.W., Netting, F.E., & Thibault, J.M. (1999). Religious and spiritual aspects of human service practice. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press. 2RECOMMENDED TEXT (This text serves as a resource for student groups to select a diverse religious/spiritual perspective from their own and write a comparative analysis paper). Van Hook, M., Hugen, B., & Aguilar, M. (Eds.). (2001). Spirituality within religious traditions in social work practice. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole. V. Course Requirements Students will be evaluated on the following required assignments and selected options, as well as their class participation and contribution. REQUIRED ASSIGNMENTS OF ALL STUDENTS: 1. Attendance, Preparation, Contribution (10% of grade). It is important for social workers to be aware of group dynamics including peer groups in which they participate. It is also important to contribute to the group process. A portion of the grade for this course will depend on your level of attendance, preparation, participation, and contribution. For some, this means learning to speak up, to add comments or to raise questions. For others, it means being sensitive and allowing others to contribute. 2. Professional Social Work Literature Review (15% of grade – 5% for each abstract). Each student will be assigned one and then also select two weekly topic areas from the course (for a total of three abstracts). Students will review the professional social work literature related to the topic and choose one current reference (1996 to the present) to abstract. Students, for each of their three topic areas, will provide a one page written annotated summary of the article’s contents with implications for social work practice. Students will be prepared to add to the week’s discussion by sharing information additional to the required and recommended readings from the texts. Written summaries will be submitted to the instructor at the conclusion of each respective class period. References must be