CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, BAKERSFIELD
Department of Social Work
SW510 – 01: SOCIAL POLICY AND SERVICES
FALL 2002
Professor: David A. Cherin, Ph.D.
Class hours: M 6 – 10.10 P.M. (F 100)
Office : DDH/A 100
Office Hours: M: 2 – 4 and available by appointment
Email address: Phone: 664-2380
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This is a foundation social policy course that provides an overall introduction to social welfare policies and programs from a historical perspective. It examines the historical, philosophical, structural and functional aspects of social welfare institutions and the social work profession within the wider socio-economic, political and cultural contexts and systems. The impact of social policies on diverse populations such as ethnic minorities, children, women, the poor, and other oppressed groups will be examined. This course will critically analyze contemporary issues in social welfare such as the role of increasing privatization and human service corporations in the ever-evolving American social welfare system. Students are expected to develop knowledge about the process of policy formulation and demonstrate skills in critically analyzing social policies using various models of policy. The international perspectives on social welfare and the challenges it faces in the new millennium will also be discussed. This course will also focus on the importance of policy advocacy and policy practice in the current socioeconomic and political environment.
LINKAGES TO OTHER COURSES
This is a foundation social policy course for the first year MSW students in our generalist practice course. It builds on knowledge of economic, political and other social processes students developed as part of their liberal arts foundation. It provides a foundation for the advanced level policy course that focuses on social policies and programs related to children and families and health and mental health including policy analysis, policy development and policy evaluation. This course also establishes the link to the human behavior and the social environment course to the extent social policies affect human behavior at various levels. It also provides a foundation for the social work research course taught in the advanced year where students learn about the evaluation of social programs that arise from social welfare policies. An understanding of the impact of social problems and policies on the lives of individuals and families as well as some of the resources available to them in dealing with such issues is particularly important to the students in both concentrations. Similarly, an understanding of social welfare policy analysis and policy development processes can form a strong foundation for students in learning about working with organizations and communities. Field practicum and practicum seminars expose students to the impact of social welfare policies on the programs and agencies they work and provide opportunities for policy practice and policy advocacy in their respective field placement.
OBJECTIVES
At the conclusion of the course, it is expected that the students will have achieved:
1. An understanding of the diverse populations such as children, women, the poor, the dependent that are the beneficiaries of the welfare state. (PO 6)
2. An understanding and analysis of the important landmarks in the development of welfare state and of social work as a profession, their current status, purpose and function. (PO 3)
3. An increased awareness of and knowledge about the values and ethical principles that guide social welfare and social work practice. (PO 2)
4. An understanding and analysis of the development of and the current trends in social welfare in this country (such as welfare reform issues, privatization of human services, healthcare issues) and the relationship between social work practice and social policy. (PO 4)
5. An understanding and analysis of conflicting ideologies underlying the socio-political and economic structure and their impact upon the development and formulation of the social welfare policy. (PO 3, 4)
6. An understanding of appropriate methods for critically analyzing social policies and programs in terms of values of justice, adequacy, efficiency and positive view of humanity. (PO 3, 4)
7. An understanding of the important social welfare programs and services in the United States. (PO 3, 4)
8. A beginning understanding of the structure and functions of the judiciary in the United States. (PO 3, 4)
9. A beginning understanding of the processes of social policy formulation in the United States. (PO 3, 4)
These objectives will be met through the following:
Student Presentations
Bulletin Board Discussion
Tests
Research Paper
Group Activities---To Be Discussed
TEXTS
- Karger, H.J. & Stsoez, D. (1998). American social welfare policy: A pluralist approach. New York: Longman.
- Jansson, B.S. (2001). The reluctant welfare state. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.
- A reading packet containing additional readings. This is kept on reserve at the library.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION
1. Regular class attendance and active participation are very important in this course. It is a requirement that everyone raises issues, asks questions and critically evaluates the social welfare policy issues that impact social work profession and social welfare services. Please do all your readings on time and come to the class well prepared to answer potential ‘Reading Test Questions’. This will count for 10% of the final grade.
2. Student presentations: Students are required to make presentations individually or in small groups of two or three on a topic assigned by the instructor either from the prescribed text or from other sources. These presentations will be evaluated by the peer group. This will count 25 % of the final grade.
3. Bulletin board discussion: Students are required to identify current topics on social policy issues from professional journals, news papers, internet, current policy debates and carry on an active discussion about the policy on the bulletin board. The instructor may assign discussion topics from the current textbook or outside the textbook. All topics need to be approved by the instructor. Active participation in the bulletin board discussion is required of all students. For more information, please refer to the section on Guidelines for Bulletin Board discussion. This carries 15 % of the grade.
4. Tests: There will be two tests covering the lectures, discussions and readings. The tests will consist of multiple-choice questions. Test-1 will be on October 21 and test-11 will be on December 2. This will account for 25% of the final grade.
5. Research paper: A well-written paper on a policy issue and this will carry 25% of the grade.
Guidelines for research paper
a. Select a well-focused policy issue in an area of your interest. For instance, "How is child care to be provided to children in rural/urban areas?” rather than the broader issue of "What is child care policy?" “How should services to women who are victims of spouse abuse be organized in California?” rather than “What is domestic violence policy?”
b. Define and describe the issue or problem. Mention the philosophical, political, economic and social context of the issue; the population affected and the extent.
c. What are the current federal, state, and local policies in this area?
d. Identify policy alternatives in this area that are discussed in the literature or that you have thought of yourself.
e. Critique both the current policy and the alternatives offered, identifying criteria that support your personal ideological perspective as you make the analysis. Use the framework for analyzing the policy.
f. What are your recommendations as to what policy should be adopted in this area?
Research paper due: November 25th.
Guidelines for bulletin board discussion
Bulletin board discussion is one way of learning through sharing ideas and views with your colleagues. The discussion is graded and carries 15%. The grading will be based on the quality, intelligence and seriousness shown as well as the knowledge and skills demonstrated in your responses and reactions to the discussion topic. Therefore, it is important to research the topic as much as possible and share such information in your discussion. The instructor will monitor the discussion frequently. The discussion topics will either be assigned by the instructor or chosen by moderating students. All topics need to be approved by the instructor. Two or three students will moderate each discussion topic, and they will be responsible for making a brief presentation summarizing the discussion in the following class. The summary should include the starting and ending date and time of discussion, number of students who participated, names of students who did not participate, average number of responses, maximum and minimum number of responses from the same individual and a very brief summary of the discussion. The summary should not exceed more than a page. The moderators are expected to facilitate the discussion well.
The following information is needed to access the web.
The URL to access the web is given below
http://www.csub.edu/cgi-bin/webbbs/dcherin/sw510/sec001/config.pl
Once you access the site, you need a user name and a password. Your user name is:
Sw510s01 and password is 2002.
Discussion dates Presentation date Moderators Discussion Topic
1. Sep 30 Oct. 7 1------2-----3------
2. Oct 7 Oct. 14 1------2-----3------
3. Oct 22 Oct 28 1------2-----3------
4. Oct 28 Nov. 4 1------2-----3------
5. Nov 4 Nov 11 1------2-----3------
Topics may include discrimination in American society (Ch. 4), Homelessness (Ch.16), health care policy issues, prescription drugs for the elderly, proposed changes in social security, welfare reform issues, etc.
The final grade will be determined in the following manner:
A = 90% and above
B = 80% - 89%
C = 70% - 79%
D = 60% - 69%
F = 00% - 59%
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY (CHEATING)
The principle of truth and honesty are recognized as fundamental to a community of teachers and scholars. Academic dishonesty is a broad category of actions that use fraud and deception to improve a grade or obtain course credit. Academic dishonesty is not limited to examinations alone, but arises whenever students attempt to gain an unearned academic advantage. PLAGIRISM is a specific form of academic dishonesty (cheating) which consist of handing in someone else’s work, copying or purchasing a composition, using ideas, paragraphs, sentences, or phrases written by another, or using data and/or statistics compiled by another without giving citation. Another example of academic dishonesty is submission of the same, or essentially the same, PAPER or other assignment for credit in two different courses without receiving prior approval. When a faculty member discovers a violation of the community’s principles, the faculty member is required to give a failing grade to the student for the course. The Dean of students will also be notified in writing and the student will receive a copy of this letter.
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
A graduate student who is unsatisfied with the course evaluation and or grade should discuss the issue first with the instructor. If the student still feels unsatisfied and wishes to address the issue further, the student should then consult, in sequential order, with the Program Director, the appropriate School Dean, the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, and finally the Associate Vice President for Academics
GENERAL POLICIES
It is important to follow the course schedule. Arriving late to class and leaving early is disruptive to other students and to the instructor. So, plan your schedule well ahead, so that you can be in the classroom on time. Regular attendance and active participation are required. When you do not attend the class, you miss an integral part of the learning experience provided in the course. Therefore, regular attendance and participation are very important in this course. Missing classes will reduce your overall grade. For the benefit of every student’s learning, behavior appropriate of graduate students is expected. Appropriate and courteous behavior includes being awake for every class, paying attention, not talking to classmates during class, and not doing work for other classes. Late reports and papers will be penalized. The instructor and students are expected to collaboratively work together to complete the course successfully.
ALL CELL PHONES SHOULD BE SWITCHED OFF DURING CLASS
COURSE OUTLINE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS
MODULE ONE: UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL WELFARE
Week One - Sept. 23
Introductions: Overview of the Course requirements and expectations
Definitions and Concepts of Social welfare
Readings:
Figueria-McDonough, J. (1993). Policy practice: The neglected side of social work intervention. Social Work, 38, 179-188.
Karger, H.J. R. & Stoez, D. (2002). Social policy and American welfare state. In American social welfare policy: A pluralist approach. (ch. 1)
Jansson, B.S. (2001). The reluctant welfare state. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company (Chapter 2 & Chapter 14 pgs. 451-455)
Week Two: Sept. 30
Beneficiaries of Welfare Society: The poor,
The dependent, women, children
Readings:
Karger, H.J. R. & Stoez, D. (2002). Poverty in America. In American social welfare policy: A pluralist approach. (Chapter 5)
Karger, H.J. R. & Stoez, D. (2002). Discrimination and Social stigma in American society. In American social welfare policy: A pluralist approach. (Chapter 4)
Karger, H.J. R. & Stoez, D. (2002). Tax policy and income distribution. In American social welfare policy: A pluralist approach. (Chapter 9)
Week Three: October 7.
Ideology and Social Welfare
Readings:
Mishra, R. (1981). The functionalist view. In Society and social policy: Theories and practice of welfare. London: Macmillan. (Chapter 4)
Mishra, R. (1981). The Marxist perspective. In Society and social policy: Theories and practice of welfare. London: Macmillan. (Chapter 5)
Mishra, R. (1981) The Capitalist society and social welfare. In Society and social policy: Theories and practice of welfare. London: Macmillan. (Chapter 6)
Stoesz, D. (1988). Functional concept of social welfare. Social Work, 33 (1), p. 58-59.
MODULE TWO: HISTORY OF SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIAL WELFARE
Week Four: Oct. 14
History of Social Welfare and
History of American Social Welfare
Readings:
Jansson, B.S. (2001). The reluctant welfare state. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company (Chapter 3:pgs. 37-62; Chapter 4; Chapter 5 pgs. 99-120; Chapter 6)
Karger, H.J. R. & Stoez, D. (1998). The origins and future of American social welfare state. In American social welfare policy: A pluralist approach. (Chapter 3)
Jansson, B.S. (2001). The early stages of the New Deal. In The reluctant welfare state, Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. (Chapter 7)