Taught By:
Rahim Thawer
Full-Time Instructor & DSW Student
School of Social Work
University of Alabama
Read profile here.
Course Description:
This course provides students with an opportunity to explore and critically evaluate the historical development and change of a broad range of social welfare policies, programs, and services in the United States and the philosophical bases for the provision of various social welfare services to persons throughout the life course. Social welfare policies, programs, and services in the United States have developed, changed, and evolved dramatically throughout history, so this course explores this development and change over a major period of time, from the colonial period to today. Major consideration is given to the development of social welfare programs and services within a social, cultural, political, and economic context, with particular attention to influential social values in the United States; and, as such, students will be expected to utilize critical thinking skills, as they analyze and evaluate major issues affecting the provision of social welfare programs and services to vulnerable and oppressed population, synthesizing primary and secondary source documents to argue a point clearly. Social welfare and social work, historically, are intrinsically linked so the development of social work and its connection to a variety of social welfare programs and institutions will be discussed; however, the focus of this course is historically broad and does not delve into intricacies of social work or professional skills.
