Political Practica: Educating Social Work Students for Policymaking

Social workers have a history of ambivalence regarding the profession's involvement in the political process. Many argue that if social workers are to become more politically active, schools of social work must play a vital role. This article examines the results of a survey on the extent and n...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of social work education 1996, Vol.32 (1), p.91-100
Main Authors: Wolk, James L., Pray, Jackie E., Weismiller, Toby, Dempsey, David
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Advocacy
Education politics
Elected officials
Field Experience Programs
Fieldwork
Government relations
Government Role
Graduate Study
Higher Education
National Surveys
North America
Policy Formation
Policy Making
Political action committees
Political elections
Political partisanship
Politics
Practice placements
Practicums
Professional Education
Program Design
Public Policy
Social Work
Social Work Education
Staffing
Surveys
Teaching about Policy and Legal Issues
Undergraduate Study
Universities
USA
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Summary:Social workers have a history of ambivalence regarding the profession's involvement in the political process. Many argue that if social workers are to become more politically active, schools of social work must play a vital role. This article examines the results of a survey on the extent and nature of available social work practica in government relations, electoral politics, and policy advocacy and development. It was found that less than 20% of undergraduate programs and less than 50% of graduate programs have such practica, and they are almost exclusively in government relations. Recommendations are offered to alleviate the concerns raised by undergraduate programs about political practica.
ISSN:1043-7797
2163-5811
DOI:10.1080/10437797.1996.10672287