A Pedagogical Model for Teaching Racial Justice in Social Work Education

ABSTRACT

In the current U.S. sociopolitical climate marked by rising racial tension and civil unrest, social work students and educators are engaged in dialogues throughout the country regarding the role of the profession in combating injustice. The emergence of the Movement for Black Lives as well as numerous high-profile police shootings of unarmed Black men prompted the exploration of praxis-based pedagogical approaches in social work education. This article provides an overview of a cocurricular student orientation developed by a group of social work students and educators in an effort to promote racial justice. Through the emergent planning process, principles of critical race theory and liberation theory were infused throughout the orientation event and related curriculum content.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

M. Alex Wagaman

M. Alex Wagaman, PhD, MSW, is Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University;

Stephanie G. Odera

Stephanie G. Odera, EdD, MSW, is Partnership Associate Director, Bridging Richmond;

Daryl V. Fraser

Daryl V. Fraser, MSW, is Associate Professor in Teaching, School of Social Work, Virginia Commonwealth University.