H A & S 263B / SISAF 490C GLOBAL AND LOCAL PERSPECTIVES ON SOCIAL WORK AND DEVELOPMENT: FOCUS ON HORN OF AFRICA AND ITS DIASPORA

Instructors for Spring 2008:

• Nancy Farwell*

Course Description

This course will introduce you to global and local perspectives on social work and development, with an area focus on the Horn of Africa and its Diaspora. We will pay particular attention to the processes that characterize the transitions of refugee and immigrant women, children, youth, and families within their country of origin, upon resettlement in the United States, and transnationally, including: a) an overview of the historical events and processes that have resulted in the mass displacement of people; b) selected policies and service programs that have been developed with respect to migration; and c) trauma, coping, agency, and integration during and after repatriation or resettlement. A wide array of strengths-based and empowerment approaches to social work practice in home, school, agency, and community contexts constitute the interventive focus of this course.

In exploring these issues, we will read, view, and analyze a variety of sources, including newspaper and magazine articles, novels, government documents, research reports, oral histories, and films. We will also pay attention to interventions across a variety of community settings and agency programs, with a focus on a) mutual assistance, psychosocial support, gender and family issues, youth assets development, and community mobilization, b) participatory approaches to program development, and c) the importance of multicultural understanding in global social work practice. Course-related learning may also be facilitated through an optional community service component of the course, comprising 16-20 hours of tutoring through Horn of Africa Services, a local non-profit organization serving populations from the Horn of Africa.

Course objectives

Upon completion of the course, the participants will be able to:

1. Understand causes and impacts of forced migration on refugees, resources, and social work practice with refugee women, children, youth, and families.
2. Appraise responses of international and local service providers along the relief-to- development continuum, and in resettlement.
3. Analyze the chronic stressors, gender, and identity issues accompanying conflict, forced migration, repatriation, and resettlement.
4. Evaluate the particular issues of refugee women, children, youth, and families in ecological context, and apply this knowledge in social work practice.
5. Apply knowledge of refugee family and intergenerational resources and conflicts in social work practice.
6. Identify refugee trauma and related interventions to promote psychosocial health.
7. Apply knowledge of refugee issues in originating and host countries.
8. Promote the development of appropriate services to refugees across multiple settings and levels of social work practice.
9. Collaborate and problem-solve at a multicultural level with a greater degree of cultural competence
10. Identify services and resources for refugees and immigrants in the local setting.

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