• Academics
• Prospective Students
• Current Students
• Faculty/Staff
• Alumni & Friends
• Research

The Exploration of Assimilation and Ethnic Identity by Graduate Level Social Work Students: A Qualitative Analysis

Faculty Sponsor:
Dawnovise N. Fowler, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator:
Kim Bender
Co-Principal Investigator:
Nalini Negi

Duration: 2005 - present

The purpose of this study was to explore how graduate level social work students perceive their familiesâ histories of assimilation, their own ethnic identity, and how their ethnic roots may influence their future social work practice. While the importance and challenges involved in teaching social justice are clearly documented in the literature (Chizhik & Chizhik, 2005; Applebaum, 2004; Gibbons & Gray, 2002), social work studentsâ perceptions and experiences related to social justice education is an under-explored area in research. The Council on Social Work Educationâs (CSWE) Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) state that social work graduates should demonstrate the ability to: 1) practice without discrimination and with respect, knowledge, and skills related to clientsâ backgrounds and identities, and 2) understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination and apply strategies of advocacy and social change that advance social and economic justice. Given these guidelines, it is critical that students examine their own family and ethnic backgrounds which ultimately influence their personal and professional experiences and biases. The current study uses qualitative techniques to answer the following research questions: a) how do graduate social work students perceive their own ethnic roots and ethnic identity, b) how do graduate social work students relate their own ethnic backgrounds to their future social work practice, and c) how does this exercise of exploring ethnic roots inform social justice education? The study findings have implications for continued research aimed at understanding how social work graduate studentsâ perceptions of their own ethnic backgrounds may influence their future practice.

Keywords: social work education