This course introduces students to the role of research and data within social work practice. Students will assess this relationship, both historical and current, through the liberatory lenses of critical theories about race, Indigenous approaches to research and knowledge, and intersectionality. The goal of this course is to critically analyze research theories, methods, and findings in a way that advances the social work profession’s goals of racial and social justice. Students will strengthen their understanding of current research landscapes and approaches to knowledge building, with the aim of achieving self-determination for marginalized clients and communities. Examples throughout the course will be practice-oriented and build an understanding of research justice as a strategic framework for evaluating and recalibrating social work practice at micro, messo, and macro scales.
- Instructor: Rory Crath
- Instructor: Megan Harding
- Instructor: Di Yoong