Spencer’s main thesis
Spencer’s article presents the plight of social workers and the aspect of self -identification. Social workers vary depending on the sector in which they operate and the nature of their business. They undergo adequate training and acquire skills based on their work. Social workers play crucial societal roles, like improvement of lives in the disadvantaged communities. They conduct research on the society and offer life skills to people from such societies. Social workers promote fairness in terms of provision of opportunities to vulnerable populations. The community expects social workers to be committed to and responsible in their work as only in this way they will be able to gain the trust of people. According to Spencer, social workers should be morally upright in order to achieve social justice. They must be agents of change in order to influence alternative behavior aspects. Spencer’s main idea involves the challenges that social workers encounter under oppressive systems of power.
A critical perspective of Spencer’s views
Human rights bodies should work closely with the government in order to achieve social justice in the community. People in many states of the world usually undergo oppression based on their color and economic statuses. Racism is a common form of oppression in western countries. Bodies like the National Social Work Association and other relevant associations should represent and fight for the rights of marginalized people in society. The attainment of equality for all may be difficult, but social workers should try to achieve equity in the community. Governments should formulate strict legal measures to monitor activities in civil societies. Certain civil bodies do not conform to the set legal framework in terms of their operations. The government should employ auditors to verify the proper utilization of the money that civil societies use in their work. Social workers should utilize funds given to them by donors for the intended purposes. Certain bodies of civil rights involve themselves in corrupt practices. Spencer does not adequately address the evils that social workers do, such as fraudulent engagements.
Spencer points out that all people in the society are entitled to their freedom of confessing their own religion. The writer says that he benefits from his religious beliefs. He criticizes government systems that link Islam to terrorism. Social workers should fight religious discrimination in the state because the freedom of worship is a legal amendment in the US Constitution. Spencer does not afford a balanced diet due to poverty. Many poor communities usually experience poor health conditions. Spencer cannot also afford cloth due to poverty. Poor people may not appreciate the usefulness of education due to the lack of necessities. The government should subsidize the cost of basic commodities like food, shelter, and clothing to enable people of all economic classes to afford them. Spencer needs to identify the freedom that religious organizations should exercise. The government should not allow religious bodies to engage in terrorist activities.
Gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) communities face many challenges in the contemporary setting. The group usually encounters oppression in the workplace, which often leads to suicidal acts among members of the group. For instance, in the East African country of Uganda, the GLB community faces death penalties in accordance with the laws of the state. The group cannot access job positions due to rejection by society despite its academic credentials. Human rights activists have been successful in pointing out the repressive nature of the Ugandan government towards the GLB community. As a result, donor countries and financial institutions may impose trade embargos on the Ugandan government in order to compel it to change its stand on the GLB population. The government must control the freedom of the GLB community, especially in situations in which the group encounters violent attacks from the citizens like when the community conducts mass demonstrations. Spencer also highlights the issue of sexual violence in the state. He speaks against groups that accord unfair treatment to women. Spencer says that many countries treat men as superior to women, though women play crucial roles in the development of the community. Every country should involve them in the developmental process. Governments should reinforce measures that protect women from sexual exploitation in the community.
Self-reflections on Spencer’s article
Social workers should be entitled to legal protection in society. The government has formed a structure that guides operations of social workers like the National Organization of Social Workers. The body formulates the code of regulations for social workers. Spencer’s ideas help one to conduct self-evaluation. This study recommends the adoption of regulatory measures by governments in order to reinforce justice for the oppressed people in the community. The state must conduct research on ways of improving social justice without causing conflicts between the government and the civil structures. The research requires adequate funding to cater for logistical operations and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. The government should create communication structures in response to social injustice in cases of inappropriate occurrences.
People need to identify with aspects that improve society, like love and respect for others. A caring attitude towards others may enhance the development of the community through inclusiveness. The state should also enable social workers through the adequate allocation of budget. Social workers should incorporate both quantitative and qualitative dimensions in their research work in order to realize balanced research outcomes. Social workers should use methodologies that integrate environmental and demographic paradigms during data analysis in order to make accurate research findings.
How does this reflection affect future practice?
This reflection enables one to adopt a caring attitude towards others in society. This research identifies the need to incorporate the use of technology to capture the events that take place in the state. Technological aspects would help in exposing oppressive communities in the future. The use of social media would help in the alleviation of oppression in many contexts in the world. In the future, donor institutions may identify governments that oppress their people by denying them fundamental freedoms. Governments may integrate social studies into their curricula to reinforce social awareness among their citizens. They may impose penalties on people who oppress women due to the existence of legal mechanisms that safeguard the interests of marginalized groups like women and children. The government may empower marginalized groups in the state through affirmative actions and gender mainstreaming mechanisms. The state may also ensure that women access thirty percent of all government jobs. The state should also accord adequate representation of women in legislative bodies in order to help them in the agitation of their rights.