Advanced Topics in Macro Social Work

This mini course is designed to provide students with an introduction to the law, legal processes, and the legal system as it relate to social work practice. In particular we will consider five major aspects of this intersection: the significance of courts and case law to issues of social justice, the role of social workers as witnesses (lay and expert) in judicial proceedings; judicial advocacy and the role of social workers in class action law suits (impact litigation) used for social reform or protection of civil rights; the use (and misuse) of social science by the courts and legal regulations and case law that impact social work practice. In short, it will introduce students to the operation of the legal system and highlight some of the unique ways that social workers interact with it.