Social Welfare and the Law: Current Issues

Catalog description

SOWK 303 Social Welfare & the Law: Current Issues provides a comprehensive exploration of how policies and laws are developed, enacted, and implemented across all levels of government. SOWK 303 emphasizes both the mechanics of policymaking and the power of advocacy to demystify the policy change process and equips students with the orienting knowledge, skills, and strategies needed to influence policy at multiple levels. Students will learn about the policy change process and strategies for how change is enacted on all levels of government including local, state, and national laws. Additionally, this course will review several landmark Supreme Court cases, with an emphasis on those most pertinent to social work and social justice issues. A comprehensive introduction to political advocacy and the political process, this course will use an historical lens to better understand contemporary social issues such as healthcare, mental health, housing, child welfare, civil rights, and others.