Social Work Students Create Resource List for Challenging Single Stories

In fall of 2015 I taught Social Work 504: Diversity and Social Justice in Social Work at The University of Michigan School of Social Work.

This required foundation course is designed to increase students’ awareness, knowledge, and critical skills related to diversity, human rights, social and economic justice.

In class we would often talk about the cycle of socialization and how each of us is on our own journey to unlearn negative processes, while making room for more socially just ones.

Another theme that remained consistent throughout the semester was the notion that through our socialization, we learn limited, single stories about people and groups who we believe to be different from us, and how power and privilege greatly impact the kinds of stories that are told, who gets to tell them, and to what degree they are held as being true.

In an effort to disrupt the single story, and to highlight stories and topics that they believed should have more attention and exposure in the work for social justice and equity, the students in my class pulled together to share resources on stories that are important to Social Workers, and others who would want to build a more equitable society.

All content on the site has been curated by the students.

Feel free to browse the site and the articles and videos they have shared. Use them as conversation starters, tools for advocacy and education, deeper self reflection, etc.

SW 504 Section 012: Diversity and Social Justice In Social Work: A Student Curated Resource List: Fall 2015

Ubuntu,

From Aspiring Humanitarian, Relando Thompkins-Jones, MSW, LLMSW