JustPractice:ASocialJusticeApproachtoSocialWorkprovidesafoundationforcriticalandcreativesocialworkthatintegratestheory,history,ethics,skills,andrightstorespondtothecomplexterrainof21stcenturysocialwork.JustPracticeputsthefieldofsocialwork’sexpressedcommitmenttosocialjusticeatcenterstagewithaframeworkthatbuildsuponfivekeyconcepts:meaning,context,power,history,andpossibility.Howdowegivemeaningtotheexperiencesandconditionsthatshapeourlives?Whatarethecontextsinwhichthoseexperiencesandconditionsoccur?Howdostructuresandrelationsofpowershapepeople’slivesandthepracticeofsocialwork?Howmightahistoricalperspectivehelpustograspthewaysinwhichstrugglesovermeaningandpowerhaveplayedoutandtobetterappreciatethehumanconsequencesofthosestruggles?Takentogether,theseconceptsprovideaguideforintegrativesocialworkthatbridgesdirectpracticeandcommunitybuilding.Thetextpreparesreaderswiththetheoreticalknowledgeandpracticeskillstoaddressthecomplexchallengesofcontemporarysocialworkfromdirectpracticewithindividualsandfamilies,togroupwork,organizationalandcommunitychange,andpolicyanalysisandadvocacy.Eachchapterincludeslearningactivities,reflectionmoments,practiceexamples,andthestoriesandvoicesofpractitionersandserviceuserstoengagestudentsascriticalthinkersandpractitioners.Theauthorencouragesteachersandstudentsaliketotakerisks,movefromsafe,familiar,pedagogicalspacesandpractices,challengeassumptions,andembraceuncertainty.
