GCSW e-News March 2022

GCSW College of Social Work

EVENT

Join us as we host Derecka Purnell, author of Becoming Abolitionists: Police, Protests, and The Pursuit of Freedom at the University of Houston for the Graduate College of Social Work’s (GCSW) Social Justice Solutions series. Each year, we invite activists, thought leaders, and the community, to explore action-oriented strategies to affect social change. Purnell’s work invites readers to envision new systems that work to address the root causes of violence and elaborate on the belief that abolition is not solely about getting rid of the police, but a commitment to create and support different answers to the problem of harm in society.

RSVP to join us April 19, 2022! (In person and virtual options, available)

STUDENT LEADERSHIP

Karin Simpson, MSW Student and Graduate Assistant for the Field Education Office, organized and led a recent Field Focus Connection, a monthly discussion for students on topics within the field of social work and social work education.

We spoke with Karin about why she chose to lead a discussion on abolition and how she sees the topic within the context of social work history and education.

"Education is one of the most effective means of developing a more equitable society. I believe that integrating abolition into our curriculum is even more critical than delivering course materials rooted solely in social work. Suppose we, as social workers, seek to achieve social justice at every level. In that case, we must always be aware of the repercussive damages these systems may cause, especially if these systems sustain great harm to the communities we aim to serve."
–Karin Simpson

NOTES from NAMIBIA | GLOBAL SOCIAL WORK

A Brief History of Namibia for American Social Workers

"As with the landscape and wildlife, the country's history is also fascinating yet tragic at the same time. As we know, as social workers, one must understand the historical and local cultural context to teach or practice social work at any level. So in this first Note from Namibia, I will provide some historical context of the country with that in mind."
–Nicole Bromfield

*In the Notes from Namibia | Global Social Work series, GCSW Associate Professor Nicole Bromfield will document her experiences and share her work as a 2022 Fulbright Research and Teaching Scholar at the University of Namibia.