Social Work and the Grand Challenge to Eliminate Racism : Concepts, Theory, and Evidence Based Approaches

In the current era, the ongoing challenge of race and ethnic relations and growing white supremacy reminds us that the centrality of racism needs considerable attention and has us profoundly questioning the structure and functioning of institutional practices. In Social Work and the Grand Challenge of Ending Racism, the authors argue that racism has been somewhat short shifted as an avenue of inquiry to help explain social problems and social welfare outcomes within the social work profession, and within the greater society. This book promotes innovative ways of preventing or interrupting racism and to stress the development and proliferation of antiracism practices as a method of reducing racialized outcomes in society.

This text offers a compendium of knowledge and perspectives from leading researchers dedicated to examining various forms of racism and their distinctions and impact on racial groups. Each chapter promotes both evidence and practice-based research that cultivates improvements in the daily lives of people affected by racism. The text also advocates for the facilitation of systemic change on the individual, organizational, community, and greater societal levels. With this advocacy perspective, the authors aim to advance community empowerment and advocacy to address and eliminate both racism and white supremacy. The authors identify the link between racism and social determinants of both physical/mental health and social well-being aiming to foster development of an anti-racist social work framework that promotes access to resources and opportunities that encompass transdisciplinary collaboration among the workforce. From a historical perspective, the book also examines the link between historical racial oppression and its contemporary effects and counterparts within racialized economic injustice. In sum, the authors collectively promote both teaching and learning within social work education programs that place emphasis on examining structural inequalities and white privilege - as well as the impacts on individual and group outcomes. To combat this, the text calls upon all social workers to develop a policy agenda for eliminating racism and white supremacy at the institutional and organizational level where structural racism is rampant, evident, and causes the most damage among marginalized groups.