Perspectives on social justice in social work from an educational and practice perspective

Social justice is a core value in social work in Denmark (DS Professionsetik 2011). In the national and international definitions of social work, social justice is understood as an ideal related to the profession's obligation to support people who need help, and strive for the possibilities of a dignified life for all citizens in respect of their own values (DS Professional Ethics 2011; IFSW 2014). This understanding of social justice, imply that social work should contribute to changing social conditions that contribute to exclusion of citizens, and counteract discrimination and inequality (DS Professionsetik 2011; IFSW 2014). However, how social justice is understood as an ideal in the practice of social work is rarely discussed or studied in a Danish context. This project examines social work students’ and social work practitioners’ perspectives on social justice.
The project's findings will contribute to discussions and reflections on social justice as a professional ideal in theory and practice in a Danish context and thus develop educational material for the social work program in Aarhus.
Method
The project's empirical findings are based on students’ reply in a quantitative survey, and focus group interviews with students from the social work program in Aarhus and social work practitioners.
The project's findings
There are oppositional understandings of social justice. The possibilities to strive for social justice are context sensitive and the findings indicate perspectives on social justice on both individual and structural levels among students and social workers.