Macro social work

Macro social work is the use of social work skills training and perspective to produce social change or social justice of some kind. Macro social workers work in a variety of public institutions, including legislative (as elected officials and advocates), executive (as administrators, managers, researchers and experts) or judicial (as expert witnesses in courts) on federal, state, or local level. Macro social workers are also found in the private sector usually in executive positions in their respective organizations.

History

The inception of Macro social work in the United States (although it wasn't called by that name at the time) was with the advent of social work as an academic discipline itself. in the early 1900's , Jane Addams, the founder of the feminist movement, is generally accepted as the very first macro social worker. the feminist movement was the very first macro social work project in the united states.

Methods

The methods employed by macro social workers are aimed at accomplishing their stated goals. All "methods" are not the same, however, but rather change and evolve depending on the social, political, and economic climate within a given country or organization they are employed within.

Some methods include: advocacy, passing bills or laws (if the social worker is an elected official), persuasion skills, collective action, and partnering with non social workers who have a similar goal.

Further reading

• Aguayo, Cecilia; Calderón-Orellana, Magdalena (29 September 2021). "Ethics for macro social work". Encyclopedia of social work. Oxford University Press & National Association of Social Workers. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.1502. ISBN 978-0-19-997583-9.
• Applewhite, Steven R; Kao, Dennis; Pritzker, Suzanne (2018). "Educator and practitioner views of professional competencies for macro social work practice". International Social Work. 61 (6): 1169–1186. doi:10.1177/0020872817702705. ISSN 0020-8728.
• Austin, Michael J. (10 September 2020). "Pathways for promoting macro practice in social work education: A commentary". The Future of Human Service Organizational & Management Research. Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781003041191-3. ISBN 978-1-00-304119-1.
• Bailey, Darlyne; Mizrahi, Terry (2023-01-13). Franklin, Cynthia (ed.). Encyclopedia of macro social work. Washington, DC: Oxford University Press & National Association of Social Workers. ISBN 978-0-19-094912-9.
• Bailey, Darlyne; Mizrahi, Terry; Smith, Jenay (18 May 2022). "The Special Commission to Advance Macro Practice". Encyclopedia of social work. Oxford University Press & National Association of Social Workers. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.1456. ISBN 978-0-19-997583-9.
• Brown, Mary-Ellen; Stalker, Katie (2022-11-10). Social work skills for community practice: Applied macro social work. New York: Springer Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-8261-5835-2.
• Brueggemann, William G (2013-03-06) [2000]. The practice of macro social work (4th ed.). Cengage Learning. ISBN 978-0-495-60228-6. OCLC 835656608.
• Burghardt, Steve (2013-10-18). Macro practice in social work for the 21st century: Bridging the macro-micro divide (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications. ISBN 978-1-4522-5745-7. OCLC 863173184.
• Calhoun, Molly; Lightfoot, Elizabeth; Okamoto, Katlin; Goodenough, Karen; Zheng, Mingyang (1 October 2020). "Contemporary perceptions of social work: Macro practice in the profession". Journal of Community Practice. 28 (4): 374–391. doi:10.1080/10705422.2020.1841702. ISSN 1070-5422.
• Dentato, Michael P. (28 January 2022). "Social work education for macro practice". Encyclopedia of social work. Oxford University Press & National Association of Social Workers. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.1415. ISBN 978-0-19-997583-9.
• Donaldson, L. P.; Hill, K.; Ferguson, S.; Fogel, S.; Erickson, C. (1 January 2014). "Contemporary social work licensure: Implications for macro social work practice and education". Social Work. 59 (1): 52–61. doi:10.1093/sw/swt045. ISSN 0037-8046. JSTOR 23719542. PMID 24640231.
• Ferguson, Kristin M; Teixeira, Samantha; Wernick, Laura J; Burghardt, Steve (2018). "Macro interventions and their influence on individual and community well-being". Journal of Social Work. 18 (6): 679–702. doi:10.1177/1468017318757160. ISSN 1468-0173.
• Fauri, David P.; Netting, F. Ellen; O'Connor, Mary Katherine (July 2004). Social work macro practice. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning. ISBN 978-0-534-51303-0.
• Ferguson, Iain (25 June 2019). "The return of macro approaches in social work". In Payne, Malcolm; Reith-Hall, Emma (eds.). The Routledge handbook of social work theory. London: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781315211053-28. ISBN 978-0-415-79343-8.
• Fogel, Sondra J.; Ersing, Robin (2 April 2016). "Macro-focused social work dissertations: A preliminary look at the numbers". Journal of Social Work Education. 52 (2): 170–177. doi:10.1080/10437797.2016.1151272. ISSN 1043-7797.
• Gamble, Dorothy N. (2011). "Advanced concentration macro competencies for social work practitioners: Identifying knowledge, values, judgment and skills to promote human well-being". Journal of Community Practice. 19 (4): 369–402. doi:10.1080/10705422.2011.625914. ISSN 1070-5422.
• Hill, Katharine; Erickson, Christina L.; Donaldson, Linda Plitt; Fogel, Sondra J.; Ferguson, Sarah M. (17 December 2017). "Perceptions of macro social work education: An exploratory study of educators and practitioners". Advances in Social Work. 18 (2): 522–542. doi:10.18060/21455. ISSN 2331-4125.
• Hill, Katharine M.; Ferguson, Sarah M.; Erickson, Christina (2010). "Sustaining and strengthening a macro identity: The Association of Macro Practice Social Work". Journal of Community Practice. 18 (4): 513–527. doi:10.1080/10705422.2010.519684. ISSN 1070-5422.
• Hyde, Cheryl A. (15 November 1989). "A feminist model for macro-practice: Promises and problems". Administration in Social Work. 13 (3–4): 145–181. doi:10.1300/J147v13n03_08. ISSN 0364-3107.
• Hyde, Cheryl A. (11 June 2013). "Feminist macro social work practice". Encyclopedia of social work. Oxford University Press & National Association of Social Workers. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.151. ISBN 978-0-19-997583-9.
• Kim, Sung-Ju; Jeong, Bok Gyo; Mirabella, Roseanne (27 February 2024). "Managerial aspects in macro social work education: Comparative analysis between MSW macro programs and nonprofit management education". Social Work Education: 1–18. doi:10.1080/02615479.2024.2319248. ISSN 0261-5479.
• Lee, B. (1 October 2014). "Macro practice: Cornerstone of our profession!". Social Work. 59 (4): 376–376. doi:10.1093/sw/swu037. ISSN 0037-8046.
• Long, Dennis D.; Tice, Carolyn J.; Morrison, John D. (2006). Macro social work practice: A strengths perspective. Brooks Cole. ISBN 978-0-534-64043-9.
• McBeath, Bowen (2016). "Re-envisioning macro social work practice". Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services. 97 (1): 5–14. doi:10.1606/1044-3894.2016.97.9. ISSN 1044-3894.
• McNutt, John G. (6 October 1995). "The macro practice curriculum in graduate social work education: Results of a national study". Administration in Social Work. 19 (3): 59–74. doi:10.1300/J147v19n03_04. ISSN 0364-3107.
• Mehrotra, Gita R.; Tecle, Aster S.; Ha, An Thi; Ghneim, Staci; Gringeri, Christina (2 January 2018). "Challenges to bridging field and classroom instruction: Exploring field instructors' perspectives on macro practice". Journal of Social Work Education. 54 (1): 135–147. doi:10.1080/10437797.2017.1404522. ISSN 1043-7797.
• Mosley, Jennifer E. (2017). "Yes, macro practice matters: Embracing the complexity of real-world social work". Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance. 41 (1): 10–12. doi:10.1080/23303131.2016.1179538. ISSN 2330-3131.
• Moya, Eva M.; Stoesz, David; Lusk, Mark; Chávez-Baray, Silvia M. (28 January 2022). "Social work macro history". Encyclopedia of social work. Oxford University Press & National Association of Social Workers. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.1429. ISBN 978-0-19-997583-9.
• Netting, F. Ellen (30 April 2005). "Future of macro social work". Advances in Social Work. 6 (1): 51–59. doi:10.18060/78. ISSN 2331-4125.
• Netting, F. Ellen; Thomas, M. Lori; Ivery, Jan (11 June 2013). "Macro social work practice". Encyclopedia of social work. Oxford University Press & National Association of Social Workers. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.230. ISBN 978-0-19-997583-9.
• Netting, F. Ellen; McMurtry, Steven L.; Thomas, M. Lori; Kettner, Peter M. (2023) [1993]. Social work macro practice (7th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Pearson. ISBN 978-0-13-586838-6. (Excerpt)
• Plitt Donaldson, Linda; Fogel, Sondra J.; Hill, Katharine; Erickson, Christina; Ferguson, Sarah (2 January 2016). "Attitudes toward advanced licensing for macro social work practice". Journal of Community Practice. 24 (1): 77–93. doi:10.1080/10705422.2015.1127864. ISSN 1070-5422.
• Pritzker, S.; Applewhite, S. R. (1 July 2015). "Going "macro": Exploring the careers of macro practitioners" (PDF). Social Work. 60 (3): 191–199. doi:10.1093/sw/swv019. ISSN 0037-8046. JSTOR 24881482.
• Regehr, Cheryl; Bogo, Marion; Donovan, Kirsten; Lim, April; Regehr, Glenn (2012). "Evaluating a scale to measure student competencies in macro social work practice". Journal of Social Service Research. 38 (1): 100–109. doi:10.1080/01488376.2011.616756. ISSN 0148-8376.
• Reisch, Michael (2017). "Why macro practice matters". Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance. 41 (1): 6–9. doi:10.1080/23303131.2016.1179537. ISSN 2330-3131.
• Reisch, Michael (2 July 2016). "Why macro practice matters". Journal of Social Work Education. 52 (3): 258–268. doi:10.1080/10437797.2016.1174652. ISSN 1043-7797.
• Reisch, Michael (2018-03-28). Macro social work practice: Working for change in a multicultural society. Cognella Academic Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5165-0757-3.
• Rothman, Jack (2007). "Multi modes of intervention at the macro level". Journal of Community Practice. 15 (4): 11–40. doi:10.1300/J125v15n04_02. ISSN 1070-5422.
• Santiago, Anna Maria; Smith, Richard J. (2 October 2018). "Is the glass half full? : How macro practice matters in a global context". Journal of Community Practice. 26 (4): 387–391. doi:10.1080/10705422.2018.1528667. ISSN 1070-5422.
• Schwartz, Edward E. (1977). "Macro social work: A practice in search of some theory". Social Service Review. 51 (2): 207–227. doi:10.1086/643494. ISSN 0037-7961.
• Sousa, Cindy A.; Yutzy, Lemuel; Campbell, Margo; Cook, Casey; Slates, Sarah (2 July 2020). "Understanding the curricular needs and practice contexts of macro social work: A community-based process". Journal of Social Work Education. 56 (3): 533–547. doi:10.1080/10437797.2019.1656686. ISSN 1043-7797.
• Thompson, Joanne; Menefee, David; Marley, Marsha (1999). "A comparative analysis of social workers' macro practice activities: Identifying functions common to direct practice and administration". Journal of Social Work Education. 35 (1): 115–124. doi:10.1080/10437797.1999.10778951. ISSN 1043-7797.
• Tice, Carolyn J.; Long, Dennis D.; Cox, Lisa E. (2019-08-07). Macro social work practice: Advocacy in action. SAGE Publications. ISBN 978-1-5063-8842-7.
• Tropman, John; McBeath, Bowen (2020-04-28). "Crafting the future of macro practice". In McBeath, Bowen; Hopkins, Karen (eds.). The future of human service organizational & management research: Navigating complex frontiers. Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781003041191-13. ISBN 978-0-367-48481-1.
• Zerden, Lisa de Saxe; Sheely, Amanda; Despard, Mathieu R. (2 October 2016). "Debunking macro myths: Findings from recent graduates about jobs, salaries, and skills". Social Work Education. 35 (7): 752–766. doi:10.1080/02615479.2016.1188915. ISSN 0261-5479.