Social Work Research on Minorities: Toward a Comparative Approach

Abstract

This paper proposes a comparative approach to social work research on minorities, building on recent advances in theory, research methods, and substantive knowledge. Examples are drawn from past and current studies on families. The author concludes that the pillars of a comparative approach to social work research on minorities are a sound theoretical conceptualization and an adherence to the canons of scientific methods in empirical observations. Weaknesses in previous research are critically analyzed, and the most urgent tasks for the development of a comparative approach are identified.