SW 280 - Serving the Undeserved: A Global Perspective

3 Credit(s)

In 2010, the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW), and the International Council on Social Welfare developed a global agenda that connects the social work profession across nations. Similarly, Widener University and Widener’s Center for Social Work Education are committed to strengthening the lives of individuals, families, groups and communities through action. This mission challenges us to educate students who will be civically engaged and lead regionally, nationally, and internationally. In this course, global issues of concern that need social work and other professions i.e. criminal justice, law, psychology, nursing, business… attention will be addressed from a micro and macro perspective. The course will teach students how to identify and respond to shared human problems across the globe such as marginalization, inequalities, lack of appropriate care for children, global aging, women, LGBT persons and other vulnerable populations, incarceration, disaster relief, world hunger, poverty, child soldiers, health issues, victims of trauma, torture, slavery, HIV/AIDS, human trafficking, war, violence, political instability, domination, immigration, marginalization, hunger, access to health care and more. This course is also designed to educate students about issues related to human rights, global interdependence and to help students understand the relevance of their majors to civic engagement and assisting vulnerable, marginalized and underserved populations globally. This course serves as a CJ elective and a social science general education elective.