Synopses & Reviews
Many agree that neoliberal economic policies have led to growing class inequality and increasing levels of poverty. Investigating the challenges that the growing financial and class disparity poses for the engaged social work academic and practitioner, the contributors look at the current state of poverty and inequality in a number of countries and examine social works response to it. They argue thatespecially for a profession committed to values based on equality, social justice, and the meeting of human needspoverty imposes a special requirement on social workers and academics to speak out when policies dont work and the plight of the impoverished is exacerbated.
Synopsis
Neoliberalism and austerity have led to a growing inequality gap and increasing levels of poverty and social harm. In this short form book, part of the Critical and Radical Debates in Social Work series, Chris Jones and Tony Novak look at consequences of poverty and inequality and the challenge they pose to the engaged social work academic and practitioner. There are many studies of poverty that look at competing definitions (and some of the consequences) of poverty in modern society. Here the authors argue that, especially for a profession with a claimed commitment to values based on equality, social justice and meeting human need, poverty and immiserisation impose a requirement on social workers to speak out and not to collude with social policies that make the plight of the impoverished even harder and their lives even worse.
Synopsis
An examination of the consequences of poverty and inequality and the challenge they pose to the engaged social work academic and practitioner.
About the Author
Chris Jones is chief theater critic for the Chicago Tribune. He has reviewed and commented on culture, the arts, politics, and entertainment at the paper for more than fifteen years. Prior to the Tribune, Jones was the touring theater critic for Variety and Daily Variety. He is also adjunct professor at the Theatre School at DePaul University, where he previously served as associate dean.
Table of Contents
Series Editors
Introduction
“We don’t want to be ashamed tomorrow”: Poverty, inequality and the challenge to social workers - Lead essay by Chris Jones and Tony Novak
Which side are we on? - response by Mimi Abramovitz
Neoliberalism and welfare: the Canadian experience - response by Suzanne Dudziak
Social work and the Greek crisis - response by Dimitra-Dora Teloni
Now time for neoliberalism: resisting Plan B from below - response by Sanford F. Schram
What are you going to do about it? - Concluding remarks by Chris Jones and Tony Novak
References