SOCW-6051-6200-Wk2-Assignment1&2
Assignment 1: Abortion Laws and Ethical Considerations
For social workers, the potential conflict between personal and professional ethics can be a source of great contention. Abortion is a highly politicized and contested topic. It is also one that reflects great diversity in terms of opinion, personal and professional ethics, and legal stances varying from state to state. For this Assignment, consider the topic of abortion, the laws of abortion that exist in the state or country in which you reside, and your own opinions on the topic. Also consider the relationship between your personal and professional ethical stance on the topic and how that may affect your interactions with clients.
Submit a 2-page paper that explains what you discovered about the laws of abortion in Georgia and why this information might be shared with clients. Further, explain your personal stance on abortion and how your ethical entanglements might impact your work with clients given the professional social worker ethic. Please use the Learning Resources to support your answer and use minimum of 2-3 references.
References
Greil, A. L., McQuillan, J., Lowry, M., & Shreffler, K. M. (2011). Infertility treatment and fertility-specific distress: A longitudinal analysis of a population-based sample of U.S. women. Social Science & Medicine, 73(1),87–94.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). Child development. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/
Guttmacher Institute. (2012). State policies in brief: An overview of abortion laws. Retrieved from http://www.guttmacher.org/statecenter/spibs/spib_OAL.pdf
National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2012). Prenatal methamphetamine exposure linked with problems. Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/news-events/nida-notes/2012/12/prenatal-methamphetamine-exposure-linked-problems
Assignment 2: Journal Entry: From Margin to Center
It can be uncomfortable to realize that you have come either from a place of oppression or privilege. Individuals seldom use these terms to describe themselves or others. However, oppression and privilege impact every aspect of people’s lives. As you consider your own place in society, consider your emotional attachment to where you see yourself within these social constructs. Consider the assumptions made about you based on how you look, the clothes you wear, or the car you drive. Consider how the social construction of gender and race can impact your work as a social worker.
Submit a 2 page journal entry in which you analyze your reactions to the social construction of power, racial, and gender characteristics. Explain how race and gender interact with privilege and oppression. Identify and analyze which characteristics of oppressed or privileged individuals with which you identify. (African American)
Note: In this course you will be asked to provide journal entries on various topics. The intent of the journals is for you to reflect on some of the more difficult topics we address in this course. It should be a safe and confidential outlet for you to explore a little more deeply your thoughts and emotions surrounding that week’s topic. For this week, explore your thoughts and feelings around social construction of power, race, and gender. Quite often prior to beginning a social work program, students do not consider how privilege and power on the one side and oppression on the other side impact people every day. Discuss how this may be a new topic for you and give your personal responses to sometimes very difficult discussion.