Changing organisational routines in doctoral education: an intervention to infuse social justice into a social welfare curriculum

Preparing tomorrow’s professoriate: an examination of social justice language in social work PhD program manuals

“…Additionally, 26 programs had social justice language in program goals and objectives, and 14 program manuals had social justice language in their vision statements. Program milestones including admissions, coursework, candidacy, and dissertation were examined more closely to determine if professional, ethical ideals were translated into the educational experiences central to PhD-level education in social work (Shapiro et al, 2015). Among the PhD milestone-related sections of the manuals, 15 programs had social justice language in the candidacy sections of the manuals, 9 programs had social justice language related to the dissertation, and only 5 programs had social justice language pertaining to admissions.…”

“…Previous studies have asked social work PhD students the extent to which they are satisfied with their education, and a gap in addressing issues of social justice was identified (Anastas & Kuerbis, 2009;Shapiro, Hudson, & Downey, in press). Case studies at single institutions have explored the creation and infusion of Social Justice Learning Objectives to respond to student demands (Shapiro et al, 2015). The current study was an exploratory analysis of the use of social justice language in program manuals across social work PhD programs in the US.…”

“…Without adequate training and engagement with social justice content at the PhD level, emerging social work scholars may be less likely to produce knowledge or provide instruction in ways that lead to justice-informed social work practice (Shapiro, Hudson, Moylan, & Derr, 2015). For example, the downstream consequences of a narrow construction of justice among social work PhD students could be scholars that do not center or understand the broad social justice implications of their scholarship, instructors that do not center or understand the broad social justice implications of their instruction, and ultimately practitioners who unintentionally perpetuate injustices through their agencies' policies, procedures and individual practices (Crethar et al, 2008).…”

“…Interest in the significance and scope of organizational language in schools of social work has emerged, with studies analyzing the overall content of social work program mission statements (Holosko, Winkel, Crandall, & Briggs, 2015) and the social justice content of course syllabi (Hong & Hodge, 2009;Mehrotra, Hudson, & Self, in press) and social work PhD program milestone instructions (Shapiro et al, 2015). However, no existing research has examined social work PhD program manuals.…”

“…Furthermore, PhD program directors and governing faculty are urged to consider incorporating social justice discourse throughout their entire manuals, not just specific sections. For example, program directors and governing faculty might consider how themes of social justice in their mission statements and course titles could be aligned with expectations and evaluations of PhD program milestones (Shapiro et al, 2015). Such reflection, consideration, and integration of thoughtful social justice language into program documents would require programs to clarify the theoretical foundations from which they operate and incorporate socially just processes into their operations.…”