First Advisor

Jessica Ramirez

Date of Award

Spring 6-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Social Work and University Honors

Department

Social Work

Language

English

Subjects

Radical social work, radical theory, radical praxis, radical practice, critical social work, structural social work

DOI

10.15760/honors.1843

Abstract

Scholars have noted that social work in the United States is particularly dependent on, and tied to, the government. While frameworks that are popular in the U.S. explicitly provide social support, they also implicitly maintain social order. Thus, social work in the U.S. may provide immediate, short-term relief, but as a result of government-imposed limitations, dominant social work frameworks do not work towards the ultimate liberation of humanity. Radical social work methods both challenge and liberate service users, along with those who deliver them.  Existing scholarship has examined the development and implementation of radical social work across the globe– especially in Britain, Canada, and Australia. Despite the framework's prevalence in other nations, the methods are largely absent from U.S. scholarship. This integrative literature review will examine current research on radical social work in order to synthesize existing practice methods. The research presented here aims to address a gap in social work literature by exploring the realities of radical social work in the United States.

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/44776

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