2 credit hours

This course provides an introduction to the field of social welfare, primarily in the United States. This course will examine the impact of values and beliefs on the development of the modern U.S. social welfare system. Both the history of the social welfare system and the social work profession are examined in the context of societal factors with particular attention to the intersectionality of race, class, and gender. The dynamics of privilege and oppression are studied as part of the political, economic, and social factors that influence the policies and services provided by social work practitioners.