Suchergebnisse

In this paper, we theorize toxic white femininities as a performance and persona in school social work. To develop the theory and analytic tool of "toxic white femininities," we used critical discourse analysis to analyze school social work professional association materials from 1906 to 1936. Our analysis isolated three performances of toxic white femininities in early 1900s school social work: (1) the exclusionary social and material gains of "her" professionalization, (2) "her" reinforcement of racial-gender-class hierarchies, and (3) "her" strategic use of helper identity to mask social control. We trace how these performances coalesced into a collective professional persona, operating beyond the scope of individual practitioners. This persona institutionalized a racialized-gendered professional identity, presented in the archives as a universal "she"—white, middle class, and feminine. With private funding from white elites in the early 20th century, school social workers—constructed discursively as white women—would become the "right" profession to shape the lives of young people and guard the privileges of whiteness. We close with a discussion of "her" long shadow and contemporary performances, outlying the ways toxic white femininities operate as a form of incremental violence impacting the profession and social services.

Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) is a manualized treatment commonly used in correctional settings to address perceived moral failing and associated problematic behaviors (e.g., substance use and criminal conduct). Many social work students are introduced to MRT as a treatment modality during field placements in correctional contexts. As a group modality that draws from cognitive-behavioral interventions and 12-step recovery programs, MRT has been touted as a cost-effective and evidence-based intervention. However, there are substantial reasons to question MRT's appropriateness as an intervention taught to social work practicum students. Using several of the CSWE EPAS standards as guideposts, this paper addresses several key areas of concern with regard to the role of MRT in the training of social work students. Through our analysis of MRT's curriculum, we identify areas of concern with regard to MRT's ability to teach social work students how to ethically practice, engage diversity and difference in practice, or utilize research to inform practice. Despite the widespread use of MRT in correctional counseling contexts, we conclude that MRT is unsuitable for use in accredited social work field placements. Educators and accreditation agencies should critically evaluate the treatment models social work students learn and practice in field placements.