Social work education in Australia and the USA: comparative perspectives and contemporary issues

Social Work and Social Policy Practice: Imperatives for Political Engagement

“…First, the social work profession’s value base, its principles and goals, and its conceptualisation of social work as stated in several social work codes of ethics (Australian Association of Social Workers [AASW], 2013; Bowles, Collingridge, Curry, & Valentine, 2006; NAPSWI, 2016; National Association Social Workers [NASW], 2017; Pawar & Thomas 2017) demand and require that social workers need to carefully and diligently engage in policy practice, not as a controlling mechanism, but to promote social change and development. For example, in the internationally agreed definition of social work, social work aims/hopes to achieve social change, social development, empowerment and the liberation people, by following certain values and principles such as social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and diversity.…”

“…First, generally, the Eurocentric/Western curriculum that has dominant focus on clinical practice has influenced social work curricula in many Asian countries (Pawar, 1999;Mandal, 1989;Nagpaul, 1988Nagpaul, , 1993 and beyond, though there are small attempts to unshackle from this influence (Malhotra, 2018). Community development and social policy are taught as part of the social work course, it is an accreditation requirement in some countries, but in practice, by and large, clinical practice dominates (Pawar & Thomas, 2017;Pozzuto & Arnd-Caddigan, 2008). Second, there appears to be a culture of ignoring local practices and strengths and giving importance to and following what comes from the West.…”

Transforming Classroom Learning Through Community Study Projects in Macro-Social Work Practice Courses

“…According to Brueggemann (2006, p. 7), ‘macro-social work is the practice of helping individuals and groups solve social problems and make social change at the community, organizational, societal, and global levels.’ A common theme in these conceptualisations is solving social problems and bringing social change through professionally guided intervention and planned change in societal institutions. Some authors (Das, O’Neill, & Pinkerton, 2015; Mendes, 2008; Pawar & Thomas, 2017; Weiss-Gal & Gal, 2018) note that this aspect of the profession has been marginalised in many programmes around the globe although it is an important practice domain in social work.…”

“…A common theme in these conceptualisations is solving social problems and bringing social change through professionally guided intervention and planned change in societal institutions. Some authors (Das, O'Neill, & Pinkerton, 2015;Mendes, 2008;Pawar & Thomas, 2017; note that this aspect of the profession has been marginalised in many programmes around the globe although it is an important practice domain in social work.…”

“…Although social work programmes in the USA have tried to integrate these two tracks into professional training and practice, some researchers (Pozzuto & Arnd-Caddigan, 2008;Reid & Edwards, 2006) argue that social work practice in the USA is largely delivered on a person-to-person basis which is mostly built on a medical model and the concept of professionalism. A couple of studies examining social work educational programmes in Australia and the USA found that course curricula in these programmes focus far more on micro-level practice than on macro-level practice (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 1997;Mendes, 2008Mendes, , 2013Pawar & Thomas, 2017). This is also reflected in the field placements and practice settings which provide employment opportunities primarily in the micro-settings.…”