Dominican University
Graduate School of Social Work
SWK514 History of Social Work
and Social Welfare
Instructor
Office
Phone
Email
Office hours:
Class times:
Course Description
This course examines the social problem of poverty in the United States and the policy
response to it. Students will learn the basics of social welfare policy provision in the US, the
history of the US response to poverty, the basics of social welfare policy in at least four
areas (aging, health care, family policy, and incarceration), and an understanding how
ideological values, politics, and power shape the racialized and gendered social
construction of social problems.
Course Prerequisite(s)
None
Dee Fink Model/Team Based Learning
Application in this Course
This course is based upon the Dee Fink Integrative Learning model and uses team-based learning
by integrating team activities. Assignments focus on application and integration of foundational
knowledge and skills.
CSWE Competency Outcomes
Addressed in the course
Dominican University
Graduate School of Social Work
SWK514 History of Social Work
and Social Welfare
CSWE
Competencies
EP2.1.1
Identify as a
Professional
Social Worker
Associated Practice Behaviors
Advocate for client access to the
services of social work;
EP 2.1.3 Apply Demonstrate effective oral and
Critical
written communication in working
Thinking
with individuals, families, groups,
organizations, communities, and
colleagues
EP 2.1.5
Advance
Human Rights
and Social and
Economic
Justice
Assignments
Measuring Practice
Behaviors
2-13
Policy Brief
14-15
Policy Brief Presentation
Advocate for human rights and social 1-13
and economic justice;
Policy Brief
Advocacy Day
Engage in practices that advance
social and economic justice.
EP 2.1.7 Apply Critique and apply knowledge to
Knowledge of understand person and environment
Human
Behavior and
the Social
Environment
EP 2.1.8
Engage in
Policy Practice
Session
Covered
2, 3
Advocacy Day
2, 3.5, 14
Policy Brief (Social
Problem)
Analyze, formulate, and advocate for 2, 3, 14
policies that advance social wellbeing;
Policy Brief (Social
Problem)
Collaborate with colleagues and
clients for effective policy action.
Policy Brief (Social
Problem)
2, 5
Advocacy Day
Dominican University
Graduate School of Social Work
SWK514 History of Social Work
and Social Welfare
EP 2.1.9
Respond to
Contexts that
Shape Practice
Provide leadership in promoting
sustainable changes in service
delivery and practice to improve the
quality of social services
4-13
Policy Brief Presentation
Course Learning Objectives
Reflected in Significant Learning Types
Course Learning Objectives
Significant Learning Type
Explain non-individual causes and consequences
of poverty.
Foundational knowledge
Understand the basics of social welfare policy in
four key areas.
Explain the need for social welfare policy and the
welfare state.
Develop, write, and present an effective policy
brief advocating for specific policy changes.
Compare and contrast different ideological
perspectives on the welfare state.
Develop a basic framework for policy analysis.
Develop a passion for those most impacted by
marginalizing dynamics in society
Understand the individual, family, and communal
consequences of changes in social welfare policy.
Strategize for how information will be obtained for
life-long learning on political structures and
oppressing factors of society.
Application
Integration
Human Dimension
Caring
Learning How to Learn
Methods of Instruction
The course will be taught through instructor led lectures and class discussions, as well as
the group and team-based learning activities noted above.
Dominican University
Graduate School of Social Work
SWK514 History of Social Work
and Social Welfare
Required Course Readings
Chambers, D. Social Policy and Social Programs: A Method for the Practical Public Policy
Analyst, 8th Editions
DeParle, Jason American Dream: Three Woman, Ten Kids, and a Nation’s Drive to End Welfare
Course Policies
A complete list of course policies can be found in the Student Handbook located online. Please
click on the link listed below:
http://dushare.dom.edu/gssw/students/
Grading Policy
Grading will follow the Dominican University Graduate School of Social Work grading system
(current MSW Student Handbook) with percentage marks associated with corresponding letter
grades.
Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CF
Grade Point Value
4.0 (96-100%)
3.67 (92-95%)
3.5 (88-91%)
3.0 (84-87%)
2.67 (80-83%)
2.5 (76-79%)
2.0 (72-75%)
1.67 (68-71%)
0 (below 68%)
Description
Excellent
Standard
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to attend and participate in all class meetings. One absence is acceptable.
Absences will affect the final grade as follows:
Dominican University
Graduate School of Social Work
SWK514 History of Social Work
and Social Welfare
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One Absence: make up the work (Work assigned in class on that day will need to be
made up within 2 weeks.)
Two Absences: 5% will be deducted from the final grade (After the second absence you
should make an appointment with the professor to discuss your progress in the course and
any difficulties you may be having.)
Three Absences: 10% will be deducted from the final grade (The student should consider
withdrawing from the class.)
Four Absences: The student will receive an F for the course. (If a student misses 4 or
more classes per semester, it is recommended that the student withdraw from the course).
Attendance Means: The student is present at the beginning of the class. Professional
behavior is expected of all students in the classroom. When students leave class during the class
it disrupts the learning process. We will have a 15-minute break midway through the class.
Excessive Lateness: (more than 15 minutes late)
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Arriving late for class 1-2 times will be overlooked.
Please be on time. Students who arrive late unintentionally disrupt the learning process.
Excessive lateness will have an impact on the attendance and participation portion of the
grade.
Academic Dishonesty and Integrity
All students of the GSSW are expected to observe high standards of academic honesty and
integrity. Any student whose conduct violates such standards may be subject to disciplinary
action as determined by due process.
Plagiarism
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Students are expected to follow the guidelines of the American Psychological
Association Publication (APA) Manual 6th Ed. All major assignments are to be
uploaded to SafeAssign or Turn-It-In via Canvas to check for Plagiarism. Plagiarism
is presenting material from any source as one’s own without proper attribution, which is
to include the use of quotation marks when another’s exact wording is used and proper
citation when another’s ideas are used but exact wording is not used. Any material other
than one’s own that is used in a paper must be properly cited in order to avoid the
plagiarism of another’s work. Plagiarism is grounds for a grade of F on the assignment
and will be referred to the Dean or Assistant Dean for further disciplinary action.
A student suspected of cheating or plagiarism will receive an automatic F for that
particular paper, assignment or exam. A written incident report will be sent to the
Dean/Assistant Dean. A Student is given a waiver to one offense of Plagiarism. He or she
Dominican University
Graduate School of Social Work
SWK514 History of Social Work
and Social Welfare
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must meet with their academic advisor and develop a plan for resolution. If the student
offends a second time they will be referred to the Dean for further disciplinary action and
possible dismissal. If the student is dismissed he or she will wait two years for re
application to Dominican GSSW.
Student must sign Plagiarism Pledge in order to graduate.
ADA Compliance
Students with disabilities may request special accommodation. Students with special disabilities
must provide the professor with a copy of the verification of the disability from the Office of the
Dean of Students, Trudy Goggin, by the second week of class in order to receive special
accommodations. The Writing Center also provides services to students who need additional
reading, writing or computer skills: 708-524-6682. For more information click on the following
link: Disability Support Services
Course Requirements
#
Assignments
Associated Practice
Behaviors
Possible Point
1
Group Reading Responses
(4)
20 (total)
2
Reading Summary Paper
5
3
Personal Social Welfare
Values Paper
5
4
Individual Reading
Assessment Tests (3)
30
5
Social Problem Analysis
Paper
2.1.7b
15
6
Policy Brief Paper
2.1.1
2.1.5
20
7
Mock Congressional
Hearing
2.1.5
2.1.8a
15
8
Team Ideological
Response
2.1.8a
2.1.9b
10
Due Date
Dominican University
Graduate School of Social Work
SWK514 History of Social Work
and Social Welfare
TOTAL POINTS
120
Description of Assignments
Personal Social Welfare Values Essay (5):
This essay is a reflection on the student’s own experiences, ideological formation, and
understanding of the problem of poverty and the appropriate social welfare policy
response to it. Students will reflect on readings, their conception of professional social
work, and their own identities. The paper should be between 750-1000 and refer to course
readings.
Social Problem Literature Review and Problem Analysis on Federal Level (15
points):
Students will select a social problem that affects the United States on a national (federal)
level that has a poverty component. Students will conduct a literature review that will
explore the following:
 Introductory Description of the Selected Social Problem based entirely on information
found in the literature which includes a History of the Social Problem (avoid
generalized statements such as “poverty has been around since the beginning of
time) – all information should be drawn from the literature
 Comprehensive Description of Social Problem - Based upon literature
o Identify the way(s) the problem is defined (it is impossible to discuss causes
of a problem without first comprehensively defining it) (See Chambers)
 Causes and Consequences - Identify the cause(s) to which the problem is attributed
(its antecedents and/or risk factors) and its most serious consequences.
 Identify the ideology (the values) that makes the causes and consequences come to
be defined as a problem
 Identify who benefits (gains) and who suffers (loses) from the existence of the
problem
 The more comprehensive the social problem analysis, the easier your policy analysis
will be.
Papers must:
 Comply with APA formatting (6th edition)
Dominican University
Graduate School of Social Work
SWK514 History of Social Work
and Social Welfare
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Be written in formal academic tone
All sources MUST be scholarly and peer-reviewed. No general website sources
permitted. Use EBSCO and Sage, government agency publications (good for
demographics), and advocacy organization websites (scholarly publications)
All statements of fact must be supported by a citation
At least 10 sources that fit the criteria above.
Length – body to be 7-10 pages
Policy Brief on TANF (20 points):
This final assignment is also related to the social problem literature review to give students
direct practice in the policy analysis of a specific social welfare legislation policy and/or
program on a federal level.
 Students will critically analyze Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity
Reauthorization Act (PRWORA) of 1996 and its Temporary Assistance to Needy
Families (TANF) with regard to its adequacy, equity and efficiency using
Chambers’ analytical framework.
 Although each student will be analyzing PRWORA and TANF, each analysis will
be different because each student will be analyzing its effectiveness in
responding to varying social problems.
 Papers should be 1000-1500 words with a minimum of 10 sources.
Your Final Policy Analysis Brief will by written as a policy brief (single space) using
Chamber’s Value-Critical Approach exploring the adequacy, equity and efficiency and will
include following elements:
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Executive Summary (750 words, does not count in final word count)
Problem Statement (one to two paragraphs)
Background of the social problem (no more than a 750 word brief summary of your first
paper)
Policy Analysis:
o Goals and objectives (contained in PRWORA)
o Forms of benefits or services delivered (TANF)
o Eligibility rules (for TANF)
o Administrative or organizational structure for service delivery (TANF)
o Financing method (of TANF)
o Interactions among the foregoing elements
Recommendations (of both the legislation and program components)
References
Dominican University
Graduate School of Social Work
SWK514 History of Social Work
and Social Welfare
*Note: make sure to review Chambers thoroughly since each element of the
policy/program has additional criteria for analysis
Mock Congressional Hearing and Team Ideological Response (15 points and 10
points):
The final class session will be a mock Congressional hearing to debate the reauthorization
of TANF. Each team will prepare a visual presentation that presents the pros and cons of
TANF as related to social problems each team member has written about to the class as if
you were presenting to Congress at a congressional hearing. It is your job to educate
“Congress” on the nature of the social problem, the basics of their policy analysis, focusing
on areas in need of change, ending with a request for what you want changed if TANF is to
be reauthorized.
Each team will also be assigned an ideological perspective based on the readings and
discussions of Week 4. Respondents will be expected to develop questions for the
presenting teams as if they were congressmen or congresswomen representing that
perspective.
Reading Response Activities (20 points)
Students will be divided into three groups. Six times during the semester, their group will
be in charge of presenting one reading to the entire class. Each team will be given time to
discuss their readings among themselves and then have 7 minutes to present the reading’s
main idea, supporting arguments and details, and what they found useful about the
reading.
Course Outline
Sequence of Learning Activities
Session
Date
In Class Topics and Activities
1
Topics: Introduction
TBL Activities: Policy Ville
Out of Class Work:
2
Topics: Inequality
Dominican University
Graduate School of Social Work
SWK514 History of Social Work
and Social Welfare
Group Activities:
Group Reading Response
A: State of Working America
B: Jencks
C: Smeeding
Out of Class Work:
 Mishel, Bernstein, and Allretto: State of Working America
 Jencks, Christopher. “Does Inequality Matter”
 Smeeding, 2006: Poor People In Rich Nations: The US In
Comparative Perspective
3
4
Topics: Policy and Poverty
TBL Activities:
Out of Class Work:
 Smeeding & WaldfogeL: Fighting Child Poverty in the
US and the UK: an Update
 Chambers, Chapter 1
Reading Summary Paper Due
Topics: Values and History Underlying the Welfare State in
the US
TBL Activities: IRAT/GRAT (Duncan & Moore + Martin)
Out of Class Work:
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5
6
DeParle, Chapter One (skim 2-4)
Duncan & Moore: Catholic and Protestant Social
Discourse and the American Welfare State, Journal of
Poverty 7(3)
 Martin, M.E. Philosophical and Religious Influences on
Social Welfare Policy in the US
Topics: The Beginnings of the Welfare State and Social Work
Profession
TBL Activities:
Out of Class Work:
 Patterson, J.T “The Poor in the Depression.”
 Patterson, J.T “The Early Welfare State”
 Ehrenreich, “The Origins of American Social Policy
 Ehrenreich, “Casework and the Emergence of Social
Work as a Profession
Topics: AFDC and the War on Poverty
Dominican University
Graduate School of Social Work
SWK514 History of Social Work
and Social Welfare
7
8
9
Group Activity: Group Reading Response
A: DeParle, 5
B: DeParle, 6
C: Patterson
Out of Class Work:
 DeParle, 5
 DeParle, 6
 Patterson, The Revolution in Social Welfare
Personal Social Welfare Values Paper Due
Topics: Welfare Reform and TANF
TBL Activities: TANF Budget Exercise
Out of Class Work:
 DeParle, 7
 DeParle, 8
 DeParle, 9
 MARCHEVSKY, A., & THEOHARIS, J. (2008). Dropped
From the Rolls: Mexican Immigrants, Race, and Rights in the
Era of Welfare Reform. Journal of Sociology & Social
Welfare, 35(3), 71-96
Topics: Social Construction of Social Problems
TBL Activities: IRAT Test
Out of Class Work:
 Chambers, Chapter 2
 Fraser and Gordon (1994). A Genealogy of Dependency:
Tracing a Keyword of the U.S. Welfare State
Topics: Causal Stories and Social Policy
TBL Activities: IRAT Test
Out of Class Work:
D. Stone (1989). “Causal Stories and the Formation of Policy
Agendas
10
Topics: Social Security and Aging Policy
Out of Class Work:
Dominican University
Graduate School of Social Work
SWK514 History of Social Work
and Social Welfare
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11
12
13
14
Robert Ball: “The Nine Guiding Principles of Social
Security”
Oliver & Lee: “The Medicare Modernization Act”
Kingson, Cornman & Torre-Norton: “The Future of
Social Insurance: Values and Generational Independence
Chambers, Chapter 3
Social Problem Analysis
Topics: Incarceration/Types of Benefits & Services
Group Activity: Group Reading Response
A: Chambers 4
B: Pager
C: Raphael and Stoll
Out of Class Work:
 D. Pager, 2004: The Mark of a Criminal Record
 S. Raphael and M. Stoll, 2009. Do Prisons Make Us
Safer? The Benefits and Costs of the Prison Boom
 Chambers, Chapter 4
Topics: Eligibility Rules
Team Activity: Preparation for Policy Brief
Topics: Health Care/Program Design
Group Activity: Group Reading Response
A: Dorn
B: Long & Graves
C: Chambers, 6
Out of Class Work:
 Dorn, Stan “How Human Services Programs and Their
Clients Can Benefit from National Health Reform
Legislation”
http://www.urban.org/health_policy/url.cfm?ID=412446
 Long & Graves “Why Do People Lack Health Insurance?”
http://www.urban.org/health_policy/url.cfm?ID=411317
 Chambers, Chapter 6
Topics: Wrap-Up + Financing
TBL Activities:
Dominican University
Graduate School of Social Work
SWK514 History of Social Work
and Social Welfare
15
Out of Class Work:
Chambers, Chapter 7
Policy Brief (Individual)
Policy Briefing (Team)
Ideological Response (Team)
Dominican University
Graduate School of Social Work
SWK514 History of Social Work
and Social Welfare
Grading Rubric