SWO 404 Social Welfare Policy
This course builds upon SWO 403 Macro Practice: Social Policy and Social Work Organizations and Communities. Students will learn about current federal, state, and local policies related to a range of social welfare concerns (e.g., poverty reduction, health, housing/homelessness, criminal justice, disability, aging, child welfare, transportation), the evolution of these policies, and the socio-political and economic environment that has influenced their development, implementation, and evaluation. To appreciate the complexities, contradictions, strengths, and weaknesses of the U.S. approach to social welfare, students will make connections about the role of economics, politics, ideologies, values, and alternate policy models in each of these areas. The roles of power and privilege in social welfare policy will be assessed as they pertain to race, ethnicity, language, class, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, citizenship status, age, nationality, and indigenous status. Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze social welfare policies, evaluate public budgeting for policies and programs, understand the role of the judiciary branch in the policy process, and assess the implementation of policies and the evaluation of their effectiveness. Class discussion, readings, and assignments will underscore the inextricable relationship between clinical social work practice and social welfare policy and practice. Students will consider how to incorporate policy work and advocacy into their own social work practice.
Corequisite
Required:
SWO 403 or Advanced Standing