Methods for a Structural Social Work Approach (5cr)

Objective

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

1. Analyze Structural Exclusion: Understand anti-oppressive practice and use methods to address structural inequality, including the role of AI.

2. Apply Intersectionality and Strengths-Based Perspectives: Analyze how power structures intersect and assess the limitations of strengths-based approaches.

3. Use and Reflect on Community Engagement: Apply participatory methods and evaluate their ethical and power-related implications.

4. Advocate for Social Justice and Human Rights: Apply human rights frameworks and develop advocacy strategies in social work contexts.

5. Conduct Policy Analysis: Evaluate policy impacts using rights-based and critical frameworks.

6. Engage in Reflective Practice: Reflect on personal and professional positioning, as well as ethical dilemmas related to representation and participation.

7. Design Integrated Strategies: Develop action plans that integrate community engagement and policy approaches to promote inclusion.

Content

This course equips students with theoretical frameworks and practical methods to analyze and address structural forms of exclusion in social work. Students explore how systems, institutions, and policies contribute to social injustice and how social workers can challenge these dynamics through community-based and policy-level interventions. Key methods include anti-oppressive and intersectional approaches, participatory community engagement strategies, and rights-based policy analysis. Special attention is given to the role of Artificial Intelligence and digital systems in shaping inclusion and exclusion.