Introduction

Chapter
First Online:
Part of the SpringerBriefs in Rights-Based Approaches to Social Work book series (SBHRSWP)

Abstract

This introductory chapter of “Applying a Human Rights Approach to Social Work Research and Evaluation: A ‘Rights’ Research Manifesto ,” introduces a human rights approach to research or a “rights research approach” to the practice of social work research and evaluation. As a manifesto, or written declaration, it encourages social workers to emancipate themselves from mental slavery and “manifest” instead their own free minds. This chapter asserts that using a rights research approach is a pathway to personal freedom and empowerment and a prerequisite to work most effectively to guide others through a similar liberating and empowerment process. It is argued that any collective efforts on the part of the social work profession must first start with each individual social worker where the research question lies within. Adopting a rights research approach is viewed as the initial step in one’s ability to integrate the thinking, feeling, and doing of human rights research for the purposes of individual, group, and societal transformation. It calls for each social worker to engage in their own personal liberation in order to achieve the mass liberation of the profession to achieve its historical vision of the liberation of the historical and emerging underrepresented and underserved populations that the profession is charged to serve. Historical examples of how a rights research approach in theory and practice have formed the underpinnings of the art and science of human rights-based social work is explored. The chapter introduces the six theme-based strategies of a rights research approach: (1) understanding and applying a human rights lens, (2) research and evaluation that makes a difference, (3) informed decision-making, multiple perspectives, approaches, and methods, (4) social contexts, meaningful participation, relational communication, (5) holistic analysis, discerning meaning from narrative and numeric data, and (6) thoughtful sharing (dissemination) and action. These strategies can be infused in the design and implementation of research projects that are most consistent with promoting human rights and individual, family, and community well-being.

Keywords

Social Worker Research Approach Universal Declaration Cumulative Trauma Social Work Profession 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

References

  1. Addams, J. (1910). Twenty years at Hull house. New York: The Macmillan Company.Google Scholar
  2. Agnew, E. N. (2004). From charity to social work: Mary E. Richmond and the creation of an American profession. Chicago: University of Illinois Press.Google Scholar
  3. Council on Social Work Education [CSWE]. (2015). 2015 Educational policy standards. Retrieved September 1, 2015, from http://www.cswe.org/File.aspx?id=69943
  4. Ehrenreich, J. H. (1985). The altruistic imagination: A history of social work and social policy in the United States. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.Google Scholar
  5. Gandhi, M. (n.d.). Gandhi quotes. Retrieved from: http://equotes.wetpaint.com/page/Mahatma+Gandhi+Quotes
  6. Gatenio Gabel, S. (2015). Preface to a rights research approach to social work. New York: Springer Publishing.Google Scholar
  7. Ife, J. (2012). Human rights and social work towards rights-based practice (3rd ed.). London: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. International Federation of Social Workers [IFSW] and International Association of Schools of Social Work. (2004). Ethics in social work, statement of principles. Retrieved February 11, 2010 from http://www.ifsw.org/p38000324.html
  9. Jones, J. H. (1993). Bad blood: The Tuskegee experiment. New York: The Free Press.Google Scholar
  10. Kirk, S. A., & Reid, W. J. (2002). Science and social work: A critical appraisal. New York: Columbia University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. Marley, B. (1979). Redemption Song Lyrics. Retrieved May 9, 2013 from http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/bob+marley/redemption+song_20021829.html
  12. Maschi, T., Viola, D., & Koskinen, L. (2015). Trauma, stress, and coping among older adults in prison: Towards a human rights and intergenerational family justice action agenda.Google Scholar
  13. Maschi, T., Viola, D., Morgen, K., Harrison, M.T., Harrison, W., & Koskinen, L. (2014). Bridging community and prison for older adults and their families: Invoking human rights and intergenerational family justice. International Journal of Prisoner Health, 19(1), 1–19.Google Scholar
  14. Maschi, T., & Youdin, R. (2010). Social workers as researcher: Integrating research with advocacy. Boston: Pearson Publishers.Google Scholar
  15. National Association of Social Workers. (1999). Code of ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. Washington, DC: NASW Press. Retrieved from http://www.naswdc.org/pubs/code/code.asp
  16. Reeser, L. C. (2009). Educating for social change in the human service profession. In E. Aldarando (Ed.), Advancing social justice through clinical practice (pp. 459–476). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar
  17. Richmond, M. (1917). Social diagnosis. Philadelphia: Russell Sage Foundation.Google Scholar
  18. United Nations [UN] (1948). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Retrieved May 9, 2012 from http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/
  19. Wronka, J. (2007). Human rights and social justice: Social action and service for the helping and health professions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
  20. Zimbalist, S. E. (1977). Historic themes and landmarks in social welfare research. New York: Harper & Row Publishers.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© The Author(s) 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Graduate School of Social ServiceFordham UniversityNew YorkUSA

Personalised recommendations