Module 2: Lecture 1: Contemporary Social Issues
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Contemporary Social Justice
While in the earliest history of Social Justice, the focus was on the equitable distribution of wealth and poverty eradication, the contemporary era has incorporated new aspects of Social Justice as society has evolved.
Social justice’s special relationship with the social work profession has recently been confirmed by new definitions of social good that identify the promotion of social justice as a primary goal of social work research and practice. This contemporary use of Social Justice ideas and ideals creates an opportunity to reexamine it in the context of modern societies and
postmodern knowledge.
In addition to the issues that dominate the headlines, long-term issues like food insecurity and climate justice are ongoing. The list of social problems in the United States and worldwide in 2020 may seem overwhelming (bbc.com, 2020).
Main Contemporary Social Problems
Table: Contemporary Social Problems
Right to Vote
Exercising the right to vote is one of the social justice issues prioritized by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). The NASW's goal is to encourage those who can vote to exercise their right and work to remove participation barriers. These barriers can include difficult voter registration, shortened early voting windows, and stricter identification requirements.
Climate JusticeIn the list of grand challenges for social work, it might be surprising to see “strengthening social responses to environmental change.” This may seem like a problem for scientists, not social workers, but climate change can strain resources and impact the well-being of entire communities (Molnar, 2020).
Health Care
There are several challenges in receiving quality healthcare, particularly in
the United States. Despite the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, gaps in coverage remain, particularly with mental health resources. This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how vital access to medical care is, as many communities struggle to access testing, treatment, and mental health professionals.
Refugee CrisisAccording to the United Nations, more people than ever live in a country other than
where they were born. Approximately 70.8 million people have been forced to flee their homes. Nearly 30 million of them are refugees, and more than half of the world's
refugees are under the age of 18. This displaced population faces challenges in accessing
education, health care, job opportunities, and other resources.
Racial InjusticeRacism has a long history, and its impact can be found in all facets of education, business, media, and everyday life. Following the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota (2020) and several other high-profile police shootings, protests of Black Lives Matter took place across the United States and have continued as activists demand substantial change. The long-term consequences of racial injustice devastate people's mental and physical health. (socialworkers.org, 2020).
Income Gap
A recent federal report (ACLU, 2020) found that, in 2018, the U.S. income gap was the largest in 50 years. After the COVID-19 pandemic, that gap will likely be much more significant. Wage disparities may be a factor at play based on race, gender, and sexuality. In the gender wage gap, there is a significant difference in how men and women are compensated for the same work.
Gun Violence
Many medical professionals consider gun violence a public health crisis, but its impact can be felt in all health and human services areas. From homicides to mass shootings and suicides, gun violence is a problem where gun-related homicides are the highest among developed nations. However, the impact of gun violence goes beyond those who have been killed. Those who have been injured, witnessed gun violence, or lost someone also suffers mental and physical long-term effects.
Hunger and Food InsecurityBefore the pandemic, Feeding America discovered that 37 million people regularly
face hunger in the United States, and 38 million live in poverty. Food insecurity remains a
stubborn problem to solve. Hence, as unemployment rises and many schools remain closed, it will become more difficult to access food through food banks and free school lunches
(feedingamerica.org, 2020).
Equality
Ensuring equality is an issue that permeates almost all the problems already presented, whether related to finance or access to resources. It has also become more relevant as the COVID-19 pandemic affects marginalized communities at higher economic and medical rates.
Animal Law
Animal rights stem from early animal welfare organizations. However, there is a difference between the two movements. Animal rights advocates believe in letting animals live according to their nature and not be used as merchandise.
Civil Rights
Civil rights guarantee equal social opportunities and equal protection under the law, regardless of race, religion, or other personal characteristics.
Education
The State must guarantee the right to education for all its residents.
Homosexual Rights
Gay rights movement to end the criminalization of homosexuality and protect the civil rights of this community
Domestic Violence
Domestic violence, or intimate partner violence, is defined as a pattern of aggressive and coercive behaviors, including physical, sexual, and psychological assaults and economic coercion that adults or adolescents use against their intimate partners.
References
T., & Kay, A. C. (2010). Social justice: History, theory, and research. In S. T. Fiske, D. T. Gilbert, & G. Lindzey (Eds.), Handbook of social psychology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Thompson, N. (2002). Social Movements, Social Justice and Social Work. The British Journal of Social Work, Vol. 32, Issue 6, 1 September 2002, pp. 711–722
Module 2: Lecture 2: Policies as a Response
Policies as a Response to Social Justice Problems
What causes action?
Abram de Swaan (1988) identified three conditions facilitating collective solutions to personal adversity. First, the external effects of adversity must be recognized. One person's suffering must affect another, and the other must recognize that effect. Second, individual remedies must have limited effectiveness. Attempts by individuals to escape the external effects or avoid the problem must be ineffective. Finally, collective responses are more likely when adversity and its external effects can strike at any time with unpredictable magnitude (uncertainty of timing and magnitude).
Nineteenth-Century Example
In the 19th century, cholera epidemics devastated many European cities. The cholera wave of 1832 claimed 18,000 victims in England and a comparable number in Paris. Nineteenth-century scientists quickly linked the infection to a lack of fresh water and inadequate sewage disposal. Still, the disease was rampant among the poor and began to invade the rich neighborhoods. Those who could apply individual solutions (the wealthy) retreated to healthier (usually higher) quarters.
As Swaan points out, “the massive epidemics provided an obvious picture of the interdependence between city dwellers, poor and rich, established and newcomers, ignorant and cultivated alike.” As the failure of individual solutions became apparent, there was widespread agreement that a collective approach was needed. Experts decided that citywide sanitation systems were the best solution, even though they would be disruptive and expensive. Initially, sewer lines were installed in wealthy neighborhoods and financed through what they now call user or connection fees. As soon as wealthy neighborhoods became saturated with pipes, the venous-arterial system of sanitation networks spread throughout the city, a public good supported by taxes and mandatory fees. Sanitation departments were established to collect fees and maintain the systems.
Uncertainty regarding the timing and magnitude of adversity, it was never known if, when, or how badly someone might be affected by the disease. Therefore, modern plumbing, the collective approach to supplying fresh water and disposing of sewage, developed because of the external effects of adversity experienced by the poor, the failure of individual remedies, or moving to the higher ground did not protect against disease. This is a clear example of the emergence of implementing policies applicable to social problems.
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Analysis of Social Problems
Social problem analysis helps understand the nature of social policies as a response to problems. It has four key components: problem definition, causal analysis, identification of ideology and values, and consideration of winners and losers.
The problem definition begins with the premise that social problems are important problems. Their importance may be a function of the status of the people experiencing or observing the problem and the large number of people affected by the problem. Often, social workers begin to define a problem by describing the population affected. One might go further and consider their demographic characteristics and historical trends.
Causal analysis in social policy differs from research designed to identify causes. There is less interest in objective reality than in public perceptions in social policy analysis. The question is not what causes this problem but what key participants in policy development believe causes the problem. Of course, good research should never be ignored. Policymakers should be aware of research on the causes of a social problem. But social policy analysis must recognize widespread beliefs that lack a scientific foundation. Beliefs about causes influence the design of social policies and programs to address problems. It is sometimes interesting to step back from this analysis by looking at the details of a policy or program and decode what they imply about the perceived causes of the problem. Identifying the ideology and values embedded in popular definitions of social problems is an interesting exercise in itself. Values can influence social policies.
The challenge is bringing these hidden assumptions into public scrutiny and dialogue as professionals. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish what is known from what is believed. The values that serve as the basis for social policies generally reflect judgments about how people should or should not behave. As Chambers (2000) pointed out, some people benefit from social problems, and these “winners” can become obstacles when social workers try to ameliorate the problem.
References
T., & Kay, A. C. (2010). Social justice: History, theory, and research. In S. T. Fiske, D. T. Gilbert, & G. Lindzey (Eds.), Handbook of social psychology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Thompson, N. (2002). Social Movements, Social Justice and Social Work. The British Journal of Social Work, Vol. 32, Issue 6, 1 September 2002, pp. 711–722
Module 2: Lecture 3: Implementation of Policies
Implementation of Policies
Philosophical Approaches to the Implementation of Social Policies
Social Insurance: Europe
The first social insurance plans in Western Europe addressed the three fears of
industrial workers: poverty in the elderly, sickness, and unemployment. The social insurance programs established during the 19th century were adopted by authoritarian rather than democratic regimes (Flora, 1983; Flora & Heidenheimer, 1981; Rimlinger, 1971). Undoubtedly, an important motivation was the need to retain the growing number of industrial employees.
In GermanyIn EnglandIn France
Germany
Otto von Bismarck's regime in Germany is credited with establishing Europe's first social insurance program through a series of laws passed in the 1880s. Popular myth holds that Bismarck's motivation for establishing this program was to force his political enemies to retreat. A more likely explanation is that the social insurance program (Sozialversicherung) was established to strengthen the German state by securing the loyalty of the industrial working class. Sozialversicherung was successful in this regard. It offered workers a stake in the political order. It gained enough popular support to survive two world wars, National Socialism, and foreign occupation and remained a central feature of the German welfare state (Swaan, 1988).
The leaders of the German labor movement opposed the establishment of Sozialversicherung. Based on Marxist doctrine, labor leaders believed that workers should have overall allegiance to other proletariat members rather than a nation-state. Labor party leaders may have seen the program as another tactic in the government's ongoing repression
of their organizing efforts. Despite their initial opposition, union leaders were effectively co-opted by the program. As de Swaan (1988) notes, union leaders and Socialist Party officials were “quickly integrated into the state's web as executives of the national insurance system.”
Social Policies in the United States
Like the French, the Americans established social insurance for workers. Despite growing recognition of elderly dependency as a social problem, the widespread belief that personal inadequacies cause poverty prevented comprehensive federal legislation. Workers were expected to set aside personal savings for retirement.
Pensions, Retirement Programs, Old Age InsuranceOld-Age and Survivors’ InsuranceUnemployment InsuranceDisability InsurancePublic Health InsuranceHealth Insurance in the United StatesReform Proposals for WomenTemporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
Pensions, Retirement, and Aid for the Elderly
After the 1920s, several large corporations, utilities, railroads, and manufacturing companies established private pension plans for their employees. Retirement insurance became available to federal employees in 1920 by establishing the Federal Employees' Retirement Program. By 1931, 18 states had established mandatory elderly insurance programs
for workers (Piven and Cloward, 1971). By 1933, 21 states and the territories of Alaska and Hawaii were operating aid programs for elderly dependents (Achenbaum, 1986).
