Social Work, Social Welfare, and American Society, 9th edition

For use in introduction to social work and social welfare courses.

A critical-thinking approach to social work and the politics of social welfare

Social Work, Social Welfare, and American Society describes and analyzes social work and social welfare within the framework of American political belief systems. Modern theory and examples help students understand and analyze social work practice.

The 9th Edition increases its practical focus on social work practice throughout the text and in 2 new chapters. Additional coverage examines the most up-to-date issues in the politics of social welfare, including discussions of the progressive and radical perspective on social welfare, intersectionality, poverty and inequality, restorative justice, the opioid epidemic and more.

• Integrated coverage of the historical and political context of social welfare includes definitions and comprehensive chapters on theory, economics, and anti-poverty programs.
• Updated - The inclusion of progressive and nationalistic standpoints – in addition to the traditional liberal-conservative dichotomy – reflects the increasingly divisive political climate in America today. These competing perspectives are introduced in Chapter 2 and revisited throughout the text.
• Important data from National Opinion Research Corporation (NORC) interviews demonstrates the range of ideological identifications among Americans along a liberal-conservative continuum and describes the range of positions on particular social welfare issues.
• Updated - An increased emphasis on social work practice gives readers a better understanding of the profession, including more practical examples.
• New - A new Chapter 1, “Introduction,” describes the career of a typical social worker; orients readers with the different levels, or types, of social workers; and identifies the perspective that differentiates social work practice from the practice of other helping professions.
• New - A new Chapter 5, “Social Work Practice: The Person-in-Environment Perspective,” differentiates between the social work perspective on human problems and that of other helping professions; explains what C. Wright Mills meant by individual troubles and public issues, and how this relates to the social work perspective; differentiates between an individual treatment and a social-change approach to human problems; overviews the development of micro-practice, macro-practice, and the generalist approach; overviews the development of the concept of integrated methods and how this led to a more unified theory of social work practice.
• Information on generalist social work practice is covered in Chapter 6.
• Revised - Updated statistics and charts ensure students have access to a full range of resources and current data.

• New - Chapter 7, “Responses to Human Diversity,” includes new discussions of intersectionality, micro-aggression, sexual harassment and the #metoo movement, and diversity in the mass media; an update on the status of women in politics and the corporate world; and unsettling data on the persistence of race taking precedence over income, particularly with boys.
• New - Chapters 9—11 on Poverty and Inequality include a discussion of recent work on the relation of the upper-middle class (“dream hoarders”) to the perpetuation of inequality; material on the growing movement advocating for a Universal Basic Income; and greater discussion on why increased inequality is bad for everyone, not just the poor.
• New - Chapter 12, “Child Welfare,” includes a new discussion of the campaign against child labor and a new discussion of the American Indian Child Welfare Act.
• New - Chapter 13, “Crime and Criminal Justice,” includes a major review of smart incarceration, one of the Social Work Academy’s Grand Challenges, and discussions of restorative justice and police social work.
• New - Chapter 14, “Health Care,” includes a review of the contents and effects of the Affordable Care Act; coverage of the ongoing attempts to undermine the ACA; and coverage of the opioid epidemic.
• New - Chapter 15, “Mental Health and Developmental Disability,” includes an introduction of the New Disabilities Paradigm; an investigation of the rising rates of suicide; discussion of anxiety and depression on campus; and an extended presentation of the opioid epidemic.
• New - Chapter 16, “Housing, Homelessness, and Community Development,” includes an evaluation of San Francisco’s Navigation Centers; considerations of gentrification; an exploration of new types of affordable housing, including tiny homes, shipping containers, and prefabrication; and a discussion of trailer parks as new affordable communities.
• New - Chapter 17, “Aging,” includes an introduction of new theories of Alzheimer’s disease; an update on pensions and Social Security; an exploration of a potential generational war; and poses the question, “Do we work too hard on extending life?”

• The inclusion of progressive and nationalistic standpoints — in addition to the traditional liberal-conservative dichotomy — reflects the increasingly divisive political climate in America today. These competing perspectives are introduced in Chapter 2 and revisited throughout the text.
• An increased emphasis on social work practice gives readers a better understanding of the profession, including more practical examples.
• A new Chapter 1, “Introduction,” describes the career of a typical social worker; orients readers with the different levels, or types, of social workers; and identifies the perspective that differentiates social work practice from the practice of other helping professions.
• A new Chapter 5, “Social Work Practice: The Person-in-Environment Perspective,” differentiates between the social work perspective on human problems and that of other helping professions; explains what C. Wright Mills meant by individual troubles and public issues, and how this relates to the social work perspective; differentiates between an individual treatment and a social-change approach to human problems; overviews the development of micro-practice, macro-practice, and the generalist approach; overviews the development of the concept of integrated methods and how this led to a more unified theory of social work practice.
• Information on generalist social work practice is covered in Chapter 6.
• Updated statistics and charts ensure students have access to a full range of resources and current data.

• Chapter 7, “Responses to Human Diversity,” includes new discussions of intersectionality, micro-aggression, sexual harassment and the #metoo movement, and diversity in the mass media; an update on the status of women in politics and the corporate world; and unsettling data on the persistence of race taking precedence over income, particularly with boys.
• Chapters 9–11 on Poverty and Inequality include a discussion of recent work on the relation of the upper-middle class (“dream hoarders”) to the perpetuation of inequality; material on the growing movement advocating for a Universal Basic Income; and greater discussion on why increased inequality is bad for everyone, not just the poor.
• Chapter 12, “Child Welfare,” includes a new discussion of the campaign against child labor and a new discussion of the American Indian Child Welfare Act.
• Chapter 13, “Crime and Criminal Justice,” includes a major review of smart incarceration, one of the Social Work Academy’s Grand Challenges, and discussions of restorative justice and police social work.
• Chapter 14, “Health Care,” includes a review of the contents and effects of the Affordable Care Act; coverage of the ongoing attempts to undermine the ACA; and coverage of the opioid epidemic.
• Chapter 15, “Mental Health and Developmental Disability,” includes an introduction of the New Disabilities Paradigm; an investigation of the rising rates of suicide; discussion of anxiety and depression on campus; and an extended presentation of the opioid epidemic.
• Chapter 16, “Housing, Homelessness, and Community Development,” includes an evaluation of San Francisco’s Navigation Centers; considerations of gentrification; an exploration of new types of affordable housing, including tiny homes, shipping containers, and prefabrication; and a discussion of trailer parks as new affordable communities.
• Chapter 17, “Aging,” includes an introduction of new theories of Alzheimer’s disease; an update on pensions and Social Security; an exploration of a potential generational war; and poses the question, “Do we work too hard on extending life?”