Can the Council on Social Work Education Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards Be Exported to Cuba?

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to examine Cuba’s social work profession through the lens of the United States’ Council on Social Work Education’s Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards. The examination, based on observations made during a research trip to Cuba, deepened our understanding of transcultural perceptions of social work, social problems, modes of practice, and standards of professional competence. We sought to answer the question: Can social workers from the United States export their values, ethics, lenses, and understanding of social problems to other countries? Implications of this examination and transcultural analysis are discussed.

Keywords:

• CSWE
• EPAS
• Cuba
• United States
• social work
• transcultural perceptions