Multicultural community organizing: a strategy for change.

Summary

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Special Issue on Social Work in an Era of Diminishing Federal Responsibility

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Multicultural community organizing: a strategy for change.

The literature on social work practice in the 21st century depicts a grim picture. Demographic projections suggest growth in three populations disproportionately affected by poverty: single-parent families, older people, and people of color (Murdock & Michael, 1996). Projections suggest that income inequality will grow as the movement to reduce government spending leads to decreased federal responsibility and a decentralized, residual welfare state (DiNitto, 1996; Hasenfeld, 1996; Murdock & Michael, 1996). Therefore, the need for human services will increase while resources are eliminated; social work practice will become privatized and focused on methods of serving increasing numbers of people from diverse backgrounds in a context of limited resources (Hasenfeld, 1996).

This future vision of a reactive social work profession adapting to a situation of increasing injustice is chilling. Gaining perspective on these trends can provide a vision for proactive practice, policy, education, and research that can fulfill the profession's mission and purpose. What alternatives exist for those committed to increasing social justice and access to needed social supports? An alternative perspective can be developed from studying how social workers can affect these larger trends. By improving the lives of single-parent families, older people, and people of color, social workers can reduce inequality and the need for increased services. This reduction requires developing effective methods for working with diverse communities to influence policy and practice.

The scholarship on the future of social work practice has not adequately focused on the implication...

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