Hand and Glove: How the Curriculum Promotes an Antiracism Commitment in a School for Social Work

Abstract

The authors describe the curricular changes made as part of a 20-year commitment by Smith College School for Social Work (SCSSW), a graduate school with a clinical social work specialization, to become an antiracism institution. Unaware of precedents, faculty, administration, and students needed to develop structures and processes to confront inherent institutional racism at the SCSSW. In addition to multiple administrative actions, every aspect of the curriculum was reevaluated, leading to changes in courses offered and everything about them, from syllabi to pedagogy, as well as how faculty are trained and supported. The authors found that explicit and implicit curriculum must work together in intentional and synchronous ways. Critical intention across design, implementation, evaluation, accountability, and openness to process is emphasized here. They conclude that an antiracism commitment requires continuous engagement, connection, challenge, learning, and teaching and a curriculum that is fluid, flexible, proactive, and responsive.

KEYWORDS:

• anti-racism
• social work curriculum
• social work pedagogy

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Peggy O’Neill

Peggy O’Neill, PhD, is Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and assistant professor at the Smith College School for Social Work in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Josh Miller

Josh Miller, PhD, is a full professor at the Smith College School for Social Work in Northampton, Massachusetts.