Departmental Papers (SPP)
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of this Version
January 2001
Abstract
This paper explores how African American literature can enrich the analysis of social policy in social work graduate courses. The historic debate between Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois about black progress, and its reflection in subsequent works by Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison, Shelby Steele, and Cornel West, illustrate that the debate remains present in contemporary affirmative action and welfare reform policies. Using ethnic narratives can expand adult students’ ability to analyze the purposes, consequences, and values underlying social policies and help social workers formulate, document and buttress new policy positions. Such abilities are especially critical for social policies in which race remains a critical influence.
Keywords
african american literature, social policy, social african american literature, social policy, social
Date Posted: 19 December 2006
This document has been peer reviewed.
Comments
Reprinted from Journal of Teaching in Social Work, Volume 21, Issue 3/4, 2001, pages 7-28.
Publisher URL: haworthpress.com