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Strengthening critical allyship in social work education : Opportunities in the context of #BlackLivesMatter and COVID-19
Gates, Trevor G. Bennett, Bindi Baines, Donna
Gates, Trevor G.
Bennett, Bindi
Baines, Donna
Abstract
COVID-19 has shifted social work education and widened the gaps in services for historically marginalised communities, including people of diverse cultural, sexual and gender identities and social classes. Existing inequities based on cultural differences have been magnified, perhaps most recently evident in George Floyd’s slaying and the subsequent #BlackLivesMatter demonstrations across the globe. Learning to be an ally for diverse communities and working towards the betterment of all people is a goal of social work education. We argue that simple allyship is not enough given the structural inequities present in North America and Australia the civil unrest amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Social work education’s focus should trend towards allegiance with disadvantaged communities or critical allyship and include a commitment to undertake decisive actions to redress the entrenched colonial, capitalist, systemic and structural inequities that oppress many and provide unearned privilege and advantage to others. We explore strategies used in classrooms to promote allegiance and make recommendations for social work education, policy, and practice in this time of change.
Keywords
#BlackLivesMatter, allyship, allegiance, cultural responsiveness, cultural competency, cultural diversity
Date
2023
Type
Journal article
Journal
Social Work Education
Book
Volume
42
Issue
3
Page Range
371-387
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Allied Health
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
All rights reserved
File Access
Controlled