Identifying Political Discourse in Social Welfare Policy

Purpose: Social justice is a powerful ideal, but its meaning is many-sided and highly contested. As a moral ideal, one’s beliefs about social justice and one’s definition of it are rooted in one’s ideological stance. Yet our personal conceptions of a just society – and the ways we believe it can best be achieved – make no sense unless they are connected to the larger social and political ideologies that inform them: ideas about the economic structure of society; the nature of the state’s responsibility to its citizens; the extent of citizens’ obligations to one another and to the state; and citizenship itself. In this assignment you are going to be asked to select from the following list of potential social issues (see list below – if you would like to cover a topic not listed, please clear it with the instructor first). First you will need to briefly but succinctly describe the social issue (assume that the reader has limited knowledge of this issue). You must describe the social problem, identify who is impacted (i.e., the population), describe how they are impacted, and identify some of the significant proponents/opponents of the issue. Next you need to define the basic principles of at least two (or more) different ideological positions (see Abramovitz article or Mullaly chapters for detailed descriptions of different political ideologies). Next, you will be asked to describe how those ideologies would approach the issue you selected (i.e., neoliberal, progressive/social democratic, and neo-conservative position). For example, if your issue is SNAP benefits, you could describe what a neoliberal and social democratic position would be on low-income individuals receiving food stamps. This assignment will allow you to critically analyze the social and political ideas shaping American social policies and programs using the political ideologies we have discussed in class. Do NOT describe generic liberal Democratic and Republican positions. There are significant spectrums of beliefs within these parties, and the purpose of this assignment is to understand the threads of the ideologies that are informing these positions. You will conclude with reflecting on what position you think is most consistent with the Social Work Code of Ethics and what position NASW has (or should) take on this issue. Potential topics: 1. Health insurance in the US – what should the role of the government be in the provision of health insurance to all citizens? 2. Anti-poverty programs in the US – what should the role of the government be in making sure people are not living in poverty? You can pick one program specific program or focus on the idea of “welfare” programs in general 3. Childcare – what should the role of the government be in providing childcare/early childhood education to all citizens? Paper Format: Present a graduate-level paper that has an introduction, analysis (i.e., main body) and a conclusion. Your paper must provide background on the issue you have selected, define and describe your identified political ideologies, delineate the various positions on your identified issue, and reflect on what positions are most consistent with the social work code of ethics. The point of the paper is not to summarize articles but to use material from the readings to critically analyze contemporary discourse around key social issues, clarify your own stance on social justice, and then present this understanding in your own words. Length: 4-5, double spaced (excluding the reference page), typed, using a 12-point font size and one-inch margins. Referencing Style: Follow the formatting style as described in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.