Social Work Practice with Immigrants/Refugees

(3 Credits)

This practice elective is designed to help students address the special needs and problems faced by immigrant and refugee clients and communities, and to develop culturally competent knowledge, skills, and values that will improve delivery of culturally sensitive and culturally responsive services for refugees and displaced persons, both domestically and internationally. This course will examine social work practice in relation to major themes, including the refugee experience; the impact of relocation on individuals, families and communities; and the psychological ramifications of war trauma. This practice elective is designed to help students address the special needs and problems faced by immigrant and refugee clients and communities, and to develop culturally competent knowledge, skills, and values that will improve delivery of culturally sensitive and culturally responsive services for refugees and displaced persons, both domestically and internationally. This course will examine social work practice in relation to major themes, including the refugee experience; the impact of relocation on individuals, families and communities; the psychological ramifications of war trauma and torture; and the phenomenon of human trafficking. Interventions with individuals, families, and communities will be explored across cultures with particularly vulnerable populations. The course will provide an overview of such issues as loss and mourning for homeland; adaptation and coping with a new culture; cross-cultural and inter-ethnic group conflicts; resettlement and family reunification issues; and a range of world view perspectives including acculturation and assimilation, biculturalism, marginality, and traditional ethnic identities. The course will emphasize the advocacy and empowerment roles of social workers when addressing U.S. social policies towards immigrants in the wake of 9/11, and in fighting against anti-immigrant policies, sanctions, and discriminatory practices.