Intersecting Ethics of Social Work, Leadership, Scholarship, and Human Rights

Catalog description

In this course, we will review the spiritual, philosophical, and historical foundations of modern ethics. This will include gaining insight into how ethics are reflected in social work values and principles that guide practice behaviors. We will examine the intersection between ethics and the mission of social work to address social justice and human rights for vulnerable populations. Over the course of semester various lenses will be used to examine how ethics translate into practice behaviors. Leadership will be explored as an expression of ethics, considering dilemmas that may exist between the mission of service providers and the environmental, economic, and social context within which agencies provide services to individuals and communities. We will examine how ethics influence our response to various social issues such as global climate change and experiences related to gender identity, race/ethnicity, spirituality, and culture. We will conclude the course by exploring ethical dilemmas associated with service provision and methods for evaluating and responding to these dilemmas.