Submission to The Social Lens: A Social Work Action Blog by Community of Practice 5 as part of SOWK 550
Most social work organizations identify social justice as one of the foundational and defining values of the social work profession. For instance, in the preamble of The National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, it is stated that “social workers promote social justice and social change with and on behalf of clients” (2008, p. 6). While seeking justice for marginalized clients and communities is generally understood as being the guiding principle of the profession, as Reisch (2002) notes, social workers are often unclear about how “social justice” is applied to their work in practice.
It is the purpose of this blog post to share with you our research, discussion, and subsequent understanding of how social workers might move towards social justice in their practice at the micro, mezzo, and macro level. For this blog post, we have decided to focus specifically on physical disability justice — an area in which we all share a passion. Our exploration of disability justice has very much been guided by an anti-oppressive framework, which emphasizes intersectionality and the necessity to challenge larger systems that perpetuate injustices at the personal and cultural level (Larson, 2009). In approaching the following blog post in this way, we hope to emphasize and reflect the potential for this guide’s transferability in safe and meaningful engagement and work with other marginalized groups.
The Importance of Personal Reflectivity for Disability Justice
Developing a practice which can serve justice to the community of those with physical disabilities requires that we as social workers are able to identify systemic barriers, derogatory attitudes, and social exclusionary factors. Reflecting on our social locations, positions of power, and authority is critical towards being an ally and implementing change. By having a strong understanding of our own unique values it can anchor us towards remaining unyielding to allowing institutional structures to perpetuate discrimination into our personal practice.
“Disability is commonly viewed as a problem that exists in a person’s body and requires medical treatment. The social model of disability, by contrast, distinguishes between impairment and disability, identifying the latter as a disadvantage that stems from a lack of fit between a body and its social environment” (Goering, 2015, p. 134). By utilizing this model, social workers can connect this theory to influence their personal values. This model displays how disability is socially constructed and identifies all contributing factors, which creates pushback against inadequate normative values of society. Ultimately, social workers can empower and validate those with disabilities and encourage them to use their voices to make a change, while also using our platform and position of power as social workers to do the same.
The Cultural Context of Disability Advocacy
Social workers often find their clients to be victims of oppression in their daily lives. People living with physical disabilities find themselves having these experiences as well, often facing discrimination and stigma. The social model, as described by Retief and Letsosa (2018), describes how society creates the very understanding of disability and therefore it is society which disables people. In order to create opportunities for equality and justice we must look for ways to change society rather than have individuals with physical disabilities make adjustments and changes in their own lives. Awareness of how disabilities are stigmatized across various cultural contexts can inform social workers’ practice to be more inclusive and speaks to the societal changes needed to reduce oppression.
Social workers should look for opportunities for education with clients, family members, and colleagues in order to reduce social stigma and promote empowerment. Further, looking for opportunities for peer supports between clients with physical disabilities can be an opportunity to create safe spaces to discuss common experiences. Social workers must be aware of how those living with physical disabilities are viewed across cultures while simultaneously examining inequalities at a macro level to see how societal structures can affect this specific population.
Power in Numbers — Working Collaboratively to Seek Justice at the Structural Level
At the core of the personal and cultural layers of injustice in the area of physical disability is an extensive set of structures steeped in ableist ideology. The lived experiences and stories of individuals encountered throughout collaborative processes at the personal and cultural levels of engagement are critical to enacting change at the structural level. It is imperative that these voices are heard, for it is only through these expert accounts that an opportunity for structural change can occur in a meaningful way.
Weinberg (2008) notes the insidious ways institutional structures covertly (and sometimes more blatantly) discriminate based on ability and other aspects of an individual’s social location. These structural norms are a reflection of the lack of minority representation in making policy decisions. Subsequently, it is crucial that marginalized groups, including individuals with physical disabilities, are represented in all relevant political processes (Löve et al., 2018). So, where do social workers fit in?
It is the social work profession’s primary function to eliminate these social inequities (Weinberg, 2008). However, this process is not done alone. Instead, it is a collaborative process requiring the efforts of many key stakeholders. In this sense, effective social workers act as the connection point between individuals with lived experience, policymakers, and other key stakeholders. Central to this process is working with and empowering individuals with physical disabilities to participate politically at all levels, should they desire (Meyers, 2016). Working in this way is a more effective means of enacting meaningful change. Additionally, this approach fosters client empowerment through the client’s active leadership role throughout the process (Löve et al., 2018).
“People with disabilities have forged a group identity. We share a common history of oppression and a common bond of resilience. We generate art, music, literature, and other expressions of our lives and our culture, infused from our experience of disability. Most importantly, we are proud of ourselves as people with disabilities. We claim our disabilities with pride as part of our identity. We are who we are: we are people with disabilities.”
When building a practice towards disability justice, it is essential to understand the prejudices that underlie the oppression. We hope that providing steps to consider on a personal, cultural, and structural level will aid in the efficacy and application of this practice when working for justice for those impacted.
References
- Goering, S. (2015). Rethinking disability: The social model of disability and chronic disease. Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine, 8(2), 134-138.
- Löve, L., Tsaustadóttir, R., & Rice, J. G. (2018). Achieving disability equality: Empowering disabled people to take the lead. Social Inclusion, 6(1), 1-8.
- Meyers, S. (2016). NGO-Ization and human rights law: The CRPD’s civil society mandate. Laws, 5, 21.
- National Association of Social Workers (NASW). (2008). Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social workers.
- Retief, M. & Letšosa, R., 2018, ‘Models of disability: A brief overview’, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 74 (1), a4738.
- Reisch, M. (2002). “Defining social justice in a socially unjust world.” Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services, 83(4), 343-354.
- Larson, G. (2008). Anti-oppressive practice in mental health, Journal of Progressive Human Services, 19:1, 39-54.
The Social Lens: A Social Work Action Blog - The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the original author(s) and do not express the views of the UBC School of Social Work and/or the other contributors to the blog. The blog aims to uphold the School's values and mission.
