Beyond Cultural Specificity

Abstract

This paper is a follow-up to a prior published study where MSW students were reported to have difficulty articulating the impact of broad-based oppression on clients they serve. This current study involved interviewing faculty and reviewing course syllabi in an effort to better understand the prior study's findings in relation to what faculty are teaching. Findings indicate that faculty claim to be teaching more content on broad based oppression than students appear to be learning. In addition, while students in the first study appear to better learn this content from faculty who they identify as members of oppressed groups, there is mixed sentiment among faculty regarding their use of their self-disclosed oppressive status and circumstances in the teaching of this content. Implications and recommendations for instructors are presented.

Key Words:

• Oppression
• MSW
• instruction
• practice
• curriculum