The Road Not Taken: A History of Radical Social Work in the United States

Front Cover
Psychology Press, 2002 - Political Science - 276 pages

The Road Not Taken takes a new perspective on the course of social welfare policy in the twentieth century. This examination looks at the evolution of social work in the United States as a dynamic process not just driven by mainstream organizations and politics, but strongly influenced by the ideas and experiences of radical individuals and marginalized groups as well.

 

Contents

Social Work A Radical Profession?
1
Neglect of the Radical Tradition in American Social Work
3
Uses of a Radical History of Social Work
4
Definitions of Radical Social Work
5
Emergence of Radical Social Work
7
Repression of Social Work Radicalism
8
An Overview
10
Radical Social Work in the Progressive Era
13
Legacy of McCarthyism
131
Revival of Radicalism in Social Work
135
Background to the War on Poverty
137
War on Poverty
139
The Great Society
140
Milt Cohen versus HUAC
141
National Welfare Rights Organization NWRO
143
Social Welfare Workers Movement SWWM
152

Influence of Socialism on Radical Social Work
18
Context of Radical Social Work
19
Revolution in Charitable Methods
21
Emergence of Radical Social Work Methods
23
Radical Social Work and the Labor Movement
28
Creating New Roles for Women
32
Social Work Radicalism and Racial Justice
33
Were Settlement Workers Really Radical?
35
The Spider Web Conspiracy and the Death of Progressivism
39
The Great War and the Attack on Social Work Radicals
41
The Red Scare and the SheppardTowner Act
48
Equal Rights Amendment ERA
51
Networks for Social Justice
53
Civil Rights
54
Impact of Social Work Radicalism in the Postwar Era
56
Prelude to the Rank and File Movement
59
The Rank and File Movement and the Precursors to McCarthyism
61
Rise of the Rank and File Movement
64
Radical Unions in Social Work
69
Rank and File Movement Unions and the New Deal Politics
73
Radicalism in Social Work Practice
76
Repression of Radical Social Workers in the 1930s
80
The Coming of World War II and the Decline of the Rank and File Movement
83
AntiCommunism and the Attack on the New Deal
87
McCarthyism Loyalty Oaths and the Suppression of Political Dissent
89
Attack on Common Human Needs
91
Government and Private Sector Purges
92
Purge of Radical Social Work Unions
95
Social Work and McCarthyism
98
Persecution of Marion Hathway
101
African American Social Workers and McCarthyism
108
Purges Gather Momentum
110
The Reconceptualization of Social Work Practice
112
Conclusion
113
Social Work Response to McCarthyism
115
The Survey
117
National Conference on Social Welfare NCSW
118
Attack on Social Group Work
120
Voluntary Sector
126
Drive for Professionalization
127
Radical Legacy of the 1960s
157
Radical Influence on Social Work Practice
158
Image Building in the Profession
160
Impact on Practice and Education
161
Radicalism and Professionalism
164
The Redefinition of Social Radicalism 19701999 Part I
167
Reaction to Radical Activism in Social Work
169
A Not Always Radical Alternative
171
Explosion of Radical Social Work Theory
174
Debate Over Professionalism
177
Peace and Social Justice
179
Radicalism in Social Work Education
182
The Redefinition of Social Radicalism 19701999 Part II
187
Radical Alliance of Social Service Workers RASSW
188
Reaganism and Radical Social Work in the 1980s
197
From Radical to Progressive Social Work
200
Bertha Capen Reynolds Society BCRS
201
Putting Radical Theory into Practice in the 1980s
202
The Renewed Assault on Professionalism
203
Radical Social Work Theory in the 1990s
205
Radical Social Work in Action in the 1990s
207
Social Work Radicalism at the End of the Twentieth Century
209
Where Are the Radicals in Social Work Today?
210
Voices of Radical Social Workers in the 1990s
211
Meaning of Radical Practice
212
Challenging the Status Quo
214
CommunityBased Practice
216
Professionalization of Social Work
220
Influence of Radical Social Work
222
Consequences of Being a Radical Social Worker
223
Perspectives on the Future of Radical Social Work
224
Conclusion
225
Conclusion The Future of Radical Social Work in the United States
227
Significance of Radicalism for Social Work
228
Radical Social Work in a World without Socialism
231
A Final Word on Professionalism and Radicalism in Social Work
233
Sources
237
Index
265
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