Factors that Influence the Inclusion of Social Justice in Social Work Mission Statements

Overview: The current study analyzed the mission statements of 603 CSWE accredited social work programs examining whether an explicit statement regarding social justice was included, and what institutional and community level variables may influence the inclusion of "social Justice". The presentation will assess the findings, potential impact, and explore next steps.Proposal text: Although recognized as a fundamental cornerstone of the profession, many aspects of social justice in social work education remain vague. Mission statements within the higher educational setting aim to establish a clear focus and direction for the institution, while also helping guide affiliations between the educational organization and the general public (Velcoff & Ferrari, 2006). Previous research has demonstrated the varied utilizations of the term “social justice” within mission statements across social work departments (Holosko et al., 2015). Thus, evaluating the multi-level factors that contribute to the mission of social work programs as it relates to social justice can provide understanding as to why social justice in social work education remains so elusive.
The current study analyzed the mission statements of 603 CSWE accredited social work programs to determine whether an explicit statement regarding social justice was included. Additional information about institutional (i.e., degree types, religious affiliation, funding source, minority serving institution status) and community level variables (i.e., geographical region, political affiliation, urban versus rural) was collected from university websites and other publicly available sources. Linear regression analysis was used to test the association between institutional and geographic variables and the presence of a social justice statement within a program’s mission statement.
The current study found that the population density of the geographical region a university was located in was the only significant predicator of whether social justice was included within the mission statement for social work departments. Presenters will provide an overview of the study and explore the findings. Presenters will facilitate discussion around how the presence of a social justice statement within programs might affect the department's perceived and lived identity. The presenters will also invite attendee input for discussion of further research.