Just Practice: A Social Justice Approach to Social Work

by Janet L. Finn, Jen K. Molloy, Ashley R. Trautman

Overview

Just Practice: A Social Justice Approach to Social Work provides a foundation for critical and creative social work that integrates theory, history, ethics, skills, and rights to respond to the complex terrain of 21st century social work. Just Practice puts the field of social work's expressed commitment to social justice at center stage with a framework that builds upon five key concepts: meaning, context, power, history, and possibility. How do we give meaning to the experiences and conditions that shape our lives? What are the contexts in which those experiences and conditions occur? How do structures and relations of power shape people's lives and the practice of social work? How might a historical perspective help us to grasp the ways in which struggles over meaning and power have played out and to better appreciate the human consequences of those struggles? Taken together, these concepts provide a guide for integrative social work that bridges direct practice and community building.

The text prepares readers with the theoretical knowledge and practice skills to address the complex challenges of contemporary social work from direct practice with individuals and families, to group work, organizational and community change, and policy analysis and advocacy. Each chapter includes learning activities, reflection moments, practice examples, and the stories and voices of practitioners and service users to engage students as critical thinkers and practitioners. The author encourages teachers and students alike to take risks, move from safe, familiar, pedagogical spaces and practices, challenge assumptions, and embrace uncertainty.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780197788691
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	11/15/2025
Pages:	416
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 1.25(h) x 9.00(d)

About the Author

Janet Finn is Professor Emerita at The University of Montana's School of Social Work. She holds an MSW from Eastern Washington University and a PhD in social work and anthropology from the University of Michigan. She has authored/ edited numerous books and articles about community, women, childhood, youth, social justice, and transnational issues.

Jen Molloy is Associate Professor of Social Work at the University of Montana. She holds an MSW from University of Montana and a PhD in social work from the University of Utah.

Ashley Trautman is Associate Professor and Chair of the School of Social Work at the University of Montana. She holds an MSW and JD from the University of Montana.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Imagining Social Work and Social Justice
Chapter 2: Critical Reflection: A Starting Place for Understanding Difference, Oppression, Privilege, and the Power of White Supremacy
Chapter 3: Looking Back
Chapter 4: Values, Ethics, and Visions
Chapter 5: Just Thinking: Theoretical Perspectives on Social-Justice-Oriented Practice
Chapter 6: Engagement: Just Get Started
Chapter 7: Teaching-Learning: Reframing the Assessment Process
Chapter 8: Action and Accompaniment
Chapter 9: Evaluating, Reflecting On, and Celebrating Our Efforts
Epilogue

Editorial Reviews

"I have taught introductory courses on social work practice for thirty years and continue to think of Just Practice as the finest text I have ever used. It is full, deep, and rich. The author introduces an integrative framework that joins conceptions of social justice and the core activities of everyday practice, challenging instructors and students to negotiate the irreducible ambiguities and complexities of help and care. I so appreciate the clarity of mind, the moral energy, and the pragmatic sensibility that shapes her accounts of the history of the profession and the range of concerns we have come to encompass in the field."—William Borden, University of Chicago

"The emphasis on the Just Practice concepts provides exceptional opportunities for students to reflect on their life experiences and often find 'possibility' when it seems improbable."—Paula M. Sheridan, Whittier College

"Just Practice pushes beyond the mainstream (white) conceptualization of social work in the US and abroad and works to expand practicing definitions of social justice into new frameworks and models that disavow the medical model and patronizing practices. It doesn't just present content and knowledge but encourages the reader to critically think about the implications for their own personal and professional development by using a series of reflections, activities, and the posing of excellent questions. I can honestly say for the first time in years that I am actually excited about a textbook not just because it speaks to me and us about the way we define social justice work but also because I learned more than a few things in reading this that have already strengthened my perspective."—Donna McIntosh, Sienna College

"Finn's text is an exceptional choice for advanced BSW and foundation MSW students. The book's format grounds the student in the meaning of social work history and its social justice mission. Throughout the text, Finn invites readers to engage in a process of personal and professional exploration that potentially fuels the students' desire to return to the roots of social work to inform their practice. Students won't just read this textbook—they will experience it."—Ann Trettin, University of Chicago

From the Publisher