1st Edition
Advances in Understanding Advocacy and Improving Policy Practice Education Recent applications of theory and evidence
A perennial issue in social work is the lack of clear evidence showing how to be a successful advocate and how to create enthusiasm among students for policy practice. Researchers are now applying theory to understand better the topics of effective social work advocacy and policy practice. The results of testing conceptual models with carefully gathered evidence are beneficial, helping us to advance our knowledge more quickly than merely collecting descriptions of case studies that remain unintegrated into a larger context. Improvements in understanding how to conduct effective advocacy emerge, helping practitioners to be more successful in their advocacy efforts. Similarly, bringing evidence and data to teaching methods improves confidence in their applicability to more than one course or institution. Readers of this book will discover how to be more effective policy practitioners as well as more engaging instructors by focusing on theories and evidence which demonstrate successful advocacy and teaching. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Policy Practice.
Introduction – Princess Wants a Dog Park: Using Theory and Evidence to Understand Advocacy and Improve Policy Practice Education Richard Hoefer
1. Why Do Social Workers Become Policy Actors? Shiran Lustig-Gants and Idit Weiss-Gal
2. Leaning Out: Exploring Organizational Advocacy Activities From an Open Systems Perspective Lauri Goldkind
3. Identifying Attributes of Relationship Management in Nonprofit Policy Advocacy Nicole Ruggiano, Jocelyn Devance Taliaferro, Frank R. Dillon, Ted Granger, and Jessica Scher
4. Advocacy Tactics and Policy Outcomes of Sex Offender Rights Organizations Erin Comartin
5. NASW Involvement in Legislative Advocacy David Beimers
6. Human Rights and the Social Work Curriculum: Integrating Human Rights into Skill-Based Education Regarding Policy Practice Behaviors Julie A. Steen and Mary Mann
7. Civic Engagement and Civic Literacy Among Social Work Students: Where Do We Stand? Mary E. Hylton
8. Solving Current Social Challenges: Engaging Undergraduates in Policy Practice Margaret Sherraden, Baorong Guo, and Christine Umbertino
9. Embracing Applied Policy Practice: A Case Study From a Robust BSW Program Elizabeth Twining Blue and Lynn Amerman Goerdt
Biography
Richard Hoefer is Roy E. Dulak Professor for Community Practice Research at the School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, TX, USA. He directs the Center for Advocacy, Nonprofit, and Donor Organizations (CAN-DO) and the School’s Professional Development Program. He also edits The Journal of Policy Practice.
