MWT PART 4

• STUDY UNIT 6: HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION
• PRESCRIBED TEXT: DuBois, B. & Miley, K.K. 2019. Social work: An empowering profession. 9th Edition, Chapter 6
• LECTURE OUTCOMES: Understand the philosophical bases of social injustice, Outline the implications of injustice for social work practice
• Social Darwinism


  Belief in the survival of the fittest, competition and hard work ethic and that nature is a neutral force that rewards those who are most fit
• Structural functionalist perspective


  Views society as an organism with interrelated parts integral to the functioning of the whole, says that poverty and social injustices have a function in society
• Conflict perspective


  Views the social order as a product of the coercive power of those in high-status positions in the social hierarchy, differential access to power and authority perpetuate injustices
• Attribution theory


  Suggests that people draw different conclusions about cause depending on their own perspectives or points of view
• Ego defences theory


  Suggests that some people may blame victims in order to protect themselves or even mask their anger
• Blaming the victim


  An ideology that emphasises environmental causation, does not regard victims as inferior, genetically defective, or morally unfit from birth, considers environmental influences and acknowledges that circumstances make people inferior
• Just world beliefs


  Legitimise blaming the victims, many people believe that there is a positive correlation between individual worth and fate—a connection between virtue and reward
• Oppression involves political, economic, social, and psychological domination of one group by another—from the microlevel of individuals to the macrolevel of social groups, organisations, and nation-states
• Stereotyping


  An overstated characterisation and simplified generalisation of a minority group based on selected traits
• Ethnocentrism


  The dominant group's belief in its superiority that leads to self-righteousness and contempt for other groups
• Dehumanisation


  Considering people as less than human, stripping them of their individuality and potential
• Personal victimisation


  People who experience stigma incorporate its negative connotations into their self-images, people tend to live up to the labels assigned to them by others
• Learned helplessness


  Perceiving events as uncontrollable undermines motivation to initiate responses, both personal experiences and beliefs contribute to one's sense of control or lack thereof
• Responsive environments provide resources that enrich citizens' social functioning, social policies that promote human rights and social services contribute to a society's general well-being
• Empowerment-based social workers create resources in social support systems, influence social change in political and economic institutions and social welfare policies that enhance citizens' access to societal resources
• Social work affirms the inherent dignity and worth of people, believes in social justice, appreciates and celebrates diversity
• Social work's ethical codes mandate professionals to promote social and economic justice, protect the human rights and freedom of individuals, create humane societal conditions that uphold the values of worth, dignity, and uniqueness of all persons
• Social workers respect the unique value of every human being regardless of individual differences, cultural variations, or contributions to society
• Engaging in a human rights and social justice approach requires the transformation of oppressive conditions through empowerment
• PREPARATION FOR NEXT CLASS: Thoroughly study the lecture notes for DuBois, B. & Miley, K.K. 2019. Social work: An empowering profession [Chapter 7] so that you able to master the unit outcomes and assessment criteria, Formulate any questions you would like to bring for discussion during the contact session
• SEMESTER TEST 2: 15 MAY 2024, Study units 6, 7, & 8