The student will be able to:

1. Analyze and compare a range of sociological theories as they relate to social welfare and persistent social problems.
2. Recognize a range of persistent social problems, from poverty to substance abuse.
3. Examine the historical development of social welfare systems as responses to social problems.
4. Sketch the development of the field of social services as a profession.
5. Identify and uphold the legal, ethical, and professional practice responsibilities of working with social work and human service organizations, with attention to cultural humility and oppressed groups.
6. Explain the services provided by a local social welfare agency.
7. Illustrate contemporary social issues and problems and responses of social welfare systems.
8. Compare methods of the discipline as based in core concepts, values, and ethics (as rooted in human diversity and social justice).
9. Analyze the foundations of government and other community social services.
10. Evaluate the development of government laws and social policies as they relate to social welfare services and people's roles in shaping social policy.
11. Compare Western and non-Western approaches to social welfare services.
12. Synthesize current issues, controversies, and conflicts affecting social services.

1. Social work, human services, and social welfare in historical perspective; historical overview of social work, human services
   1. English and Elizabethan poor laws
   2. Colonial period
   3. Civil War period
   4. Progressive Era
   5. New Deal Era
   6. Great Society Era
   7. Welfare Reform Era
   8. History of professional social work education and practice
   9. Social work in the 21st century and beyond
2. Sociological theory, social problems, and social services
   1. Sociological theoretical paradigms and the social roots of inequality
   2. Structural functionalism (i.e., Comte, Durkheim, Parsons, Alexander)
   3. Symbolic interactionism (i.e., Cooley, Mead and the Chicago School, Weber, Thomas, Tonnies, Lemert)
   4. Social conflict (i.e., Marx, Addams, W.E.B. DuBois, William J. Wilson)
   5. Feminist (i.e., Coolidge, Smith, Gilman, Martineau, Bernard)
   6. Social constructionism (i.e., Berger, Shutz)
   7. Post-modernism (i.e., Foucault)
3. The development of the field and profession
   1. Core concepts
      1. Strength based approach
      2. Family centered approach
      3. Empowerment
      4. Valuing human dignity
      5. Valuing cultural diversity
      6. Valuing cultural sensitivity
   2. Varying models of helping relationships
   3. Characteristics of effective helpers
   4. Ethical and professional issues
4. Social problems
   1. Social stratification
   2. Race, ethnicity, racism, and racial stratification
   3. Sexism, sexuality, homophobia, and gender stratification
   4. Poverty, privilege, and the distribution of wealth and valued resources
   5. The feminization of poverty
   6. Age and ageism
   7. Violence/domestic violence
   8. Problems to do with families
   9. Substance abuse
   10. Mental and/or physical disability
   11. Institutionalization
   12. Geographical issues
   13. Social mobility
   14. Stress
5. Social policy and planning
   1. Emergence of social policy
   2. Development of, and changes in, social services policy
   3. Social planning for social services
   4. Research in social services
   5. Government responses to social problems
   6. Social welfare for the rich, middle income, and the poor
6. Trends, controversies and issues in social welfare
   1. Welfare reform
   2. Child welfare policies - adoptions and family care/safe families act
   3. Immigration issues
7. Values and ethics in social work practice
8. Building community and progressive societies through social work, social services, and social welfare
   1. Social movements
   2. Poor people's movements
   3. Civil and human rights movements
   4. Models and meanings of civil societies
   5. Best practice models - building on family strengths/family conferencing models
   6. Community organization and social advocacy

Not applicable.

Class discussions
Active learning exercises
Oral presentations
Critical essay(s)
Examinations or quizzes

Lecture
Discussion

Berg-Weger, Marla, and Vithya Murugan. Social Work and Social Welfare, An Invitation. 2022.

Karger, H.J., and David Stoesz. American Social Welfare Policy: A Pluralist Approach. 2018.

Kirst-Ashman, Karen K.. Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare: Critical Thinking Perspectives. 2017.

Stern, Mark, and June Axinn. Social Welfare: A History of the American Response to Need. 2018.

1. College level readings from primary and secondary sources
2. College level writing assignments based on primary and secondary source reflection and/or analysis