Doing Anti-Oppressive Practice: Building Transformative, Politicized Social Work

NOTE: New updated 4th edition available now!


This updated third edition of the immensely popular Doing Anti-Oppressive Practice introduces students to anti-oppressive social work, its historical and theoretical roots and the specific contexts of anti-oppressive social work practice. Key to this practice is the understanding that the problems faced by an individual are rooted in the inequalities and oppression of the socio-political structure of society rather than in personal characteristics or individual choices. Moreover, the contributors show that social justice and social change — working against racism, sexism and class oppression — can and must be a key component of social work practice.

Drawing on concrete examples from specific practice contexts, personal experience and case work, including child welfare, poverty, mental health, addictions and disability, the contributors demonstrate how to translate social justice theory into everyday practice.

This new edition adds chapters on working with refugee, immigrant and racialized families; children; older adults; cognitive behavioural therapy; and using social media as a tool for social change.

Donna Baines is the director and a professor in the School of Social Work at the University of British Columbia. She is editor of Doing Anti-Oppressive Practice, co-editor (with Stephen McBride) of Orchestrating Austerity and co-author of Case Critical. Her research and teaching interests include anti-oppressive theory and practice, paid and unpaid care work and social justice change.