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Socially Just Practice in Groups
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Socially Just Practice in Groups
A Social Work Perspective



February 2019 | 320 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
Socially Just Practice in Groups: A Social Work Perspective comprehensively covers all aspects of group practice in social work settings, integrating a unique social justice framework throughout. Drawing from their experience as group work practitioners, authors Robert Ortega and Charles D. Garvin walk readers through the basics of group practice, including getting started, doing group work, establishing the purpose, roles and tasks of the group, stages and phases of practice, and specific skills in assessment, monitoring, and evaluation. A social justice framework provides a fresh perspective during an era of widespread social change and provides social workers tools for effective group interventions. Chapters contain detailed case examples to illustrate concepts presented, as well as exercises to help students practice skills.

 
Preface
 
Acknowledgements
 
About the Authors
 
SECTION I. HISTORICAL AND CONCEPTUAL APPROACHES TO GROUP WORK AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
 
1. What Is a Socially Just Approach to Group Work?
Defining Social Justice

 
Social Justice Practice Principles

 
Purpose and Goals

 
Member Relevance and Social Identities

 
Norms and Socially Just Participation

 
Conflict

 
Group Leadership

 
Group Development and Process

 
Practice Dimensions

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
 
2 History of Group Work
The Emergence of Group Work: 1861 to 1927

 
Clarification of the Method: 1928 to 1946

 
The Diffusion of Practice: 1947 to 1963

 
The Move to the Concept of a Generic Method: 1964 to 1979

 
The Revitalization of Group Work: 1979 to 2000

 
Recommitment to Social Justice, Empirical Practice, and New Approaches: 2003 to Present

 
Critique of Existing Practice Theories

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
 
3 Knowledge for Practice
Structures

 
Processes

 
Cohesiveness

 
Group Culture

 
Discussion Questions

 
 
4 Models of Group Work and Relationship to Social Justice
Social Goals

 
Cognitive-Behavioral Group Work

 
Task Centered

 
Self-Directed

 
Feminist

 
Narrative

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
 
5 Group Purposes
Purpose and Social Justice

 
A Typology of Purposes

 
A Typology of Group Purposes

 
Social Justice Issues Related to Purposes

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
 
6 Values and Ethics
Solidarity

 
Tolerance

 
Inclusion

 
Transformative Trust

 
Cultural Humility

 
Empowerment

 
Shared Leadership

 
Additional Ethical Issues in Group Work Practice

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
 
7 Roles, Tasks, and Critical Consciousness
Roles, Norms, and Statuses

 
Group Tasks and Functions

 
Agreements (AKA Ground Rules)

 
Power

 
Conflict

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
 
8 Leadership
Leadership and Purpose

 
Social Justice Leadership Processes

 
Social Justice and Leadership Skills

 
Social Justice Visioning

 
Knowledge and Skills

 
Critical Analysis

 
Safety Monitoring During Conflict

 
Praxis

 
Leadership and Power

 
Leadership and Following

 
Leadership and Co-facilitation

 
Discussion Questions

 
 
SECTION II. DOING GROUP WORK FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
 
9 Group Processes and Development
Stages Usually Referred to in Group Work Literature

 
Problems in Application of the Concepts of Phases and Stages

 
Events That Affect Group Development

 
Social Justice and Group Development

 
The Role of the Practitioner in Group Development

 
Further Strategies for Enhancement of Group Development

 
Resources That Enhance Development

 
Strengthening Awareness of Social Justice/Injustice

 
Variations in Group Developmental Processes Related to Group Types and Purposes

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
 
10 Assessment
What Is Assessment?

 
Role of Assessment in a Social Justice Model

 
Problems With Psychiatric Nomenclature

 
Compatibility With Strengths-Based Perspective

 
Sources of Qualitative Information for Assessment

 
Sources of Quantitative Data in Assessment

 
Measures of Group Processes

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
 
11 Preparation for the Group Meeting
Group Purpose

 
Environmental Issues in Planning for a Group

 
Role of the Agency in the Pregroup Phase

 
Compositional Issues

 
Pregroup Meetings With Members/Preparing Members for Groups

 
Preparing the Setting

 
Tuning In

 
Type of Group

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
 
12 Group Beginnings: Formation
Implications for Social Justice

 
Handling Offensive Behaviors and Taboo Subjects

 
Group Tasks in Initial Phase

 
Dealing With Other Miscellaneous Transition Nuances

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
 
13 Approaches to Achieving Different Purposes
A Typology of Group Purposes

 
Social Justice Issues Related to Purposes

 
Group Programs and Processes That Help Members Attain the Purposes

 
Skill Attainment

 
Resistance to Social Control

 
Rehabilitation

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
 
14 Activities
Use of an Analytic Framework

 
Use of Spontaneous Events

 
Activities Involving Music

 
Activities Involving Art

 
Activities Involving Games

 
Activities Involving Drama

 
Activities for Various Types of Issues

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
 
15 Task Groups
Social Justice in Task Groups

 
Similarities and Differences Between Individual Change and Task Groups

 
Pregroup Tasks

 
Group Formation Tasks

 
Goal Pursuit Tasks

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
 
16 Environmental Change
Rationale for Environmental Change

 
Selection of Environmental Targets

 
Choosing the Organizational Level

 
Strategies for Environmental Change

 
Environmental Change Activities in Which Members as Individuals May Engage

 
Environmental Change Activities for Either a Member or the Whole Group

 
Environmental Change Activities for the Group

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
 
17 Termination and Endings
Meaning of Endings

 
Social Justice Issues in Endings

 
Worker Tasks

 
Evaluation

 
Understand and Cope With Feelings

 
Maintain Changes

 
Utilize Skills in Variety of Circumstances

 
Utilize New Services

 
Reduce Cohesion

 
Ceremonies

 
Special Termination Issues

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
 
18 Evaluation
Measurements/Instruments

 
Analysis of Data

 
Dissemination of Data

 
Social Justice and Evaluation

 
Evaluation of Individual Change of Members

 
Evaluation of Changes in Group Conditions

 
Summary

 
Discussion Questions

 
 
Index

Supplements

Instructor Resource Site

study.sagepub.com/ortega

Free online resources for instructors accompany this text on a password-protected Instructor Resource Site.

  • Editable, chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides offer complete flexibility for creating a multimedia presentation.
  • Class activities reinforce active learning through individual and group projects.
  • Quizzes containing multiple choice and true/false questions effectively assess students’ progress and understanding.

“This text reflects a unique take on group work, presenting social justice as a key endeavor of work with all types of groups. It provides foundational information about group types, development, and practice within a framework, which emphasizes the need for attention to social justice at each level. It is easy to read and practically oriented."

Stacy Gherardi
New Mexico State University

"Long overdue, this text brings social justice into the forefront as an organizing principle of group work practice."

Joanne Whelley
Barry University

"This is a text I’ve been looking for. It incorporates social justice into group work and in this era we need to emphasize the many forms privilege and oppression can take."

Michelle Bechen
Loras College

I am currently using this text and it is timely and a great addition to the typical group practice textbook options. Thank you.

Dr Nancy Ann Banman
Social Work Program, Bethel College
October 23, 2020
Key features

KEY FEATURES:

  • A unique social justice framework is used to examine all aspects of group practice and highlights this important value of the profession.
  • Detailed case examples and exercises illustrate concepts and help students develop their skills. 
  • An emphasis on research supports an evidence-based approach to practice.
  • Chapter-ending summaries and discussion questions help students review content covered and reinforce learning through activities.

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 1

Chapter 13


For instructors

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