Cedar Crest College Poverty and Income Redistribution Spring Semester 2009 Course SWK 328-70 Maynard L. Cressman Credits 3 Phone: 610-606-4666, Ext. 3502 Mondays from 7:00PM – 9:30PM Office: Curtis 234 E-Mail: [email protected] Course Domain: Preceded by SWK 202, this course is the second professional social work course primarily focused on content regarding social welfare policy and services. Building on SWK 202, this course provides a more advanced, complex, and in-depth understanding of social welfare policy analysis. This course is primarily concerned with the United States social welfare system, the theory and values upon which this system is based, its component programs, and its effectiveness as a means of redistributing resources to alleviate economic inequality and oppression. Particular emphasis will be placed upon the analysis of the components of the current social welfare system as a basis for developing more effective policies, programs and services to fully meet human needs. Comparisons will be made to social welfare systems in other Western industrialized nations. Attention will also be paid to the U.S. economic system and to the political, judicial and administrative policy-making procedures and processes. Social work practice interventions and skills will be developed appropriate to meeting client needs with social welfare services and programs. Course Objectives: Through this course, the intent is to assist the student to develop and use critical thinking skills to: 1. Gain a more in-depth understanding of historical and current social patterns and dynamics as expressions of attempts to meet a complex of human needs. 2. Understand the philosophy of capitalism and the dynamics of the global U.S. economic system, its relationship to social welfare policies and the legislative, judicial and administrative policies that support it. 3. Better comprehend the nature, scope and consequences of structural inequality and social stratification in contemporary U.S. society and their ethical implications. 4. Understand the process of policy formulation, legislative advocacy and the implementation and administration of programs and services. 5. Achieve a beginning professional working knowledge of the policies, programs, delivery systems and networks that comprise the U.S. social welfare system, as well as those in other Western post-industrial societies.2 6. Develop beginning professional social work practice skills in social welfare policy analysis and formulation based on research, in legislative and advocacy, and in delivering services to clients within the structure of service delivery systems, particularly in the greater Lehigh Valley. 7. Understand and consider the adoption of alternatives to current approaches to social welfare provision and to the political and socioeconomic prospects for meeting the full range of common human needs. 8. As a social worker, continue to develop and adopt a coherent rationale for the ethical need to be a dedicated advocate for global social and economic justice for all people. Course Outcomes: Students will demonstrate an understanding of current social and economic arrangements and the consequent inequalities generated by these patterns as expressions of attempts to meet human needs. Assessment: Students will read Confronting Injustice and Oppression and selected chapters in Dimensions of Social Welfare and write reaction papers about each chapter. Students will demonstrate an understanding of capitalism as it applies to the U.S. global economic system and its relationship to social work practice. Assessment: Students will read Economics for Social Workers and write reaction papers to each chapter in the book. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the policies, programs, delivery systems, and networks that comprise the U.S. social welfare system as well as their formulation and administrative process. Assessment: Students will read assigned articles as well as selected chapters in Dimensions of Social Welfare Policy and then write reaction papers to each article and chapter. Students will demonstrate the use of beginning professional social work practice skills in social welfare policy research, analysis, and program critique and development. Assessment: Students will read selected chapters in Dimensions of Social Welfare Policy and receive training on how to conduct policy research. Students will then research and write an extensive analysis of a social welfare program of their choice including an interview to determine the impact of this program in the Lehigh Valley. Students will also prepare a brief written overview of their analysis for the benefit of the other students in the class. Students will demonstrate the use of beginning professional social work practice skills in legislative advocacy.3 Assessment: Students will engage with Rep. Jennifer Mann, read Affecting Change: Social Workers in the Political Arena, and watch selected videos. Students will then write a letter to a state or congressional representative advocating action on a social work related issue. Students will also write a paper applying their knowledge of legislative advocacy by outlining a campaign to get a bill passed into law. Students will demonstrate their understanding of the need to be dedicated advocates for social and economic injustice. Assessment: Students will read Confronting Injustice and Oppression, Affecting Change, watch selected videos and write reaction papers to this material. Texts: Gil, D. G. (1998). Confronting injustice and oppression. New York, NY: Columbia University Press. Gilbert, N., & Terrell, P. (2005). Dimensions of social welfare policy. (6th ed.). Needman Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Mickelson, J. S., & Haynes, K. S. (2006). Affecting change: Social workers in the political arena. (6th ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Prigoff, A. (2000). Economics for social workers. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole/Wadsworth. Supplementary Texts (on reserve): Jhally, S. (2006). The spectacle of accumulation essays in culture, media of politics. New York, NY: Peter Lang. Firebaugh, G. (2006). The new geography of