SAGE Journal Articles

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This article examines the potential use of persuasive policy practice for social workers, encouraging practitioners to move away from a value-neutral position of social work (where practitioners avoid using their influence to obtain specific outcomes) to exploring the strategic value of being as persuasive as possible, in order to advance social justice among policymakers.  The goal is to identify motivators which have been shown to enlist support from power holders in social justice issues.
 
Questions to Consider:
1. How does persuasion have an influence on building consensus rather than focusing on a conflict-oriented approach?
2. Describe four of the categories of motivators that can be used to motivate people from privileged groups to support social justice.
3. What are two drawbacks to utilizing the framework suggested by the authors, and how can they be addressed?
 
 
 
The author describes the use of personal narrative as a tool of advocacy for both social workers and individual clients.  In using storytelling as a means of advocating for the social work profession, social workers are able to also advocate for services for clients. 
 
Questions to Consider:
1. What is social work’s “second voice” and how has it impacted the perception of the profession of social work?
2. How did the author incorporate advocacy in her Day in the Life narrative?
3. The author utilizes personal narrative in the context of hospital social work.  In what other contexts do you see this strategy as applicable?  How could this be utilized with vulnerable populations?
 
 
 
The authors identify the connection between social justice and the enhancement of people’s well-being and problem-solving capacities.   Their belief is that “The quest for social justice must be undertaken hand in hand with the quest for individual well-being, societal harmony and mutual respect.”
 
Questions to Consider:
1. In what ways is social work a profession characterized by humanistic values?  How are these put into practice?
2. How are social workers able to balance the dual roles of social work: to pursue social justice and to safeguard individual well-being?
3. How does a social work response to social injustice lead to enhanced well-being for individual clients?