Information on individual educational components (ECTS-Course descriptions) per semester

Social Justice

Degree programme Social Work Fulltime
Subject area Social Work & Health
Type of degree Bachelor
Full-time
Summer Semester 2025
Course unit title Social Justice
Course unit code 048502046204
Language of instruction English
Type of course unit (compulsory, optional) Compulsory
Teaching hours per week 2
Year of study 2025
Level of the course / module according to the curriculum
Number of ECTS credits allocated 5
Name of lecturer(s) Angelique TERLER
Requirements and Prerequisites

Prerequisites for Incomings: Basic knowledge of Social Work (or related programmes such as Social Pedagogy).

Course content

Social Justice from three perspectives: philosophical, economical and social; Solidarity as a chance for all societies, Social Justice and solidarity in a globalised world: challenges and possible solutions of fair trade and organic towards the sustainability of commodity sectors, Politics and practice of international development based on the economic, social and cultural Rights (ESCR) within the Convention on Human Rights Social justice and social work: international perspectives.

Learning outcomes

In this course students will explore dynamic approaches in interdisciplinary networking on a variety of complex social issues. It draws on innovative practices to identify and respond to social justice concerns. Through the social justice walk in a German town, students will be provided with a theoretical lens to critically examine European developments and innovative practices. It combines knowledge from restorative practice to build on student skills in effective communication by debating hot topics. The targeted study of issues of equality and justice prepares students for a range of leadership roles in civil society.Students: understand social justice from philosophical, economical and social perspectives, assess how value systems can affect perspectives and decisions in relation to social justice, issues in social work, practice deepen their knowledge of solidarity through critically examining contextual settings, recognize different social justice concepts from the perspective of societal systems, recognize and analyse the causes and effects of social injustice, analyse the roles played by legislation and social policy in promoting or failing to promote social justice.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Small group discussions, experiential exercises, debates, presentations and self-organized learning and excursion.

Assessment methods and criteria

Group Project: design and conduct an activity in class; submit a written activity sheet.

Comment

None

Recommended or required reading

Brian, Barry (2017): Why Social Justice Matters. S.l.: RAWAT.

Craig, Gary (2002): „Poverty, Social Work and Social Justice." In: The British Journal of Social Work, 32 (2002), H. 6, S. 669-682. Online im Internet: DOI: 10.1093/bjsw/32.6.669

Dominelli, Lena (2013): Green Social Work: From Environmental Crises to Environmental Justice. Malden: John Wiley & Sons.

Ferguson, Iain (2007): Reclaiming Social Work: Challenging Neo-liberalism and Promoting Social Justice. London; Thousand Oaks, California; New Delhi; Singapore: SAGE.

Gil, David G (2013): Confronting injustice and oppression: concepts and strategies for social workers. New York: Columbia University Press.

Lundy, Colleen (2015): Social Work, Social Justice, and Human Rights: a Structural Approach to Practice, Second Edition. 2. Aufl. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Nussbaum, Martha Craven; Sen, Amartya (2010): The quality of life: a study prepared for the World Institute for Development Economics Research (WIDER) of the United Nations University. Oxford: Clarendon.

Reichert, Elisabeth (2007): Challenges in Human Rights: A Social Work Perspective. Columbia: Columbia University Press.

Swift, Karen J; Callahan, Marilyn (2009): At risk: social justice in child welfare and other human services. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Thompson, Neil (2002): „Social Movements, Social Justice and Social Work." In: The British Journal of Social Work, 32 (2002), H. 6, S. 711-722. Online im Internet: DOI: 10.1093/bjsw/32.6.711

Wronka, Joseph (2017): Human rights and social justice: social action and service for the helping and health professions. 2. Aufl. California: Thousand Oaks.

Zaviršek, Darja; Rommelspacher, Birgit; Staub-Bernasconi, Silvia (2010): Ethical dilemmas in social work: international perspectives. Ljubljana: Faculty of Social Work, University of Ljubljana.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face, distance learning)

Face-to-face