Social Work Practice With African American Men: The Invisible Presence

"Janice M. Rasheed and Mikal N. Rasheed have produced a well-written and informative work that proposes a variety of innovative and practical strategies. . . A well-documented book, including excellent clinical case studies."

--from the Foreword by Jewelle Taylor, Gibbs, Zellerbach Family Fund Professor,

University of California, Berkeley

"The need for theory related to social work practice with African American men is long overdue. . . . In addressing a broad spectrum of issues, including program development and public policy implications for African American men, Janice M. Rasheed and Mikal N. Rasheed…suggest that men are key to successful interventions with African American families. . . .Uniquely, this book provides detailed clinical counseling methods for practice with African American males that have not previously been demonstrated in social work literature. . . .Rasheed and Rasheed have taken a major step to fill this void by offering a theoretical framework for social work practice intervention that puts African American men at the center of analysis. This book represents a significant breakthrough in social work knowledge. Social Work Practice with African American Men will help bring a visible presence to African American men and their plight in social work literature and practices."

--Lawrence E. Gary, Howard University, Washington, DC

"The authors′ conceptualization, integrating the ecological, critical constructionist, and cultural perspectives in the service of empowerment, liberation, and social justice in practice with African American men is an outstanding contribution to social work and is on the cutting edge of theory and practice development. . . .A rich, innovative, and fascinating book that may well bridge the gap between the profession and this neglected, misunderstood, and often denigrated population."

--Ann Hartman, D.S.W., Dean and Professor Emerita, Smith College

"The authors of this useful text provide a lens through which social work practice might more effectively serve African American men. This work is a rich blend of conceptual perspectives, practice guidelines, and processes that the practitioner should find beneficial for enhancing the practice effectiveness with African American men."

--Bogart R. Leashore, Dean and Professor, Hunter College

Authors Janice M. Rasheed and Mikal N. Rasheed have developed a comprehensive, holistic approach to practice with African American men and their families. Social Work Practice with African American Men is a groundbreaking and long overdue book that proposes a variety of innovative and practical strategies to address relevant issues for African American men in micropractice approaches, such as individual, couple, family, and group treatment issues as well as macropractice approaches, such as policy formulation, program development, and community practice. This well-documented book is enriched with the authors′ years of qualitative research and their considerable clinical experience with African American men.

The Rasheeds sensitively apply a multidisciplinary conceptual framework that integrates ecological, Africentric, and critical constructionist theoretical perspectives in their multilayered analysis of the various psychological, social, and economic issues confronted by African men and their families. These perspectives are skillfully applied to the life experiences of African American men with results that reflect their diversity, vulnerability, victimization, perseverance, adaptability, resilience, and strength. Excellent clinical case studies are used to illustrate the application of the multidimensional model of assessment and treatment.

Professionals and students in social work, human services, family studies, ethnic studies, and multicultural counseling will find Social Work Practice with African American Men a reliable resource.

Janice Matthews Rasheed is an Associate Professor of Social Work at Loyola University Chicago, School of Social Work. She received her Masters degree in social work from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) and a Doctorate degree in social welfare from Columbia University. She was the co-principal investigator for a multiyear research grant funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for the study of poor, non-custodial African American fathers. She has published articles in the Journal of Community Practice, Journal of Human Behavior and the Social Environment, Journal of African American Men and the Journal of Evaluation and Program Planning. She is also the author of several chapters in books on the subjects of African American men and families. She is the coauthor of two Sage publications, Social Work Practice with African American Men: the invisible presence (1999) and Family Therapy with Ethnic Minorities (2003). She is a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Illinois and has maintained a (part-time) private practice since 1978 that specializes in practice with people of color and with couples and families. She has served as an Approved Supervisor (in training) at the Northwestern Family Institute.

Mikal N. Rasheed is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Justice Studies and Social Work Department at Northeastern Illinois University. He formerly served on the faculties at the George Williams College of Social Work at Aurora University and was also the director of the Department of Social Work at Texas Southern University. He received his Masters degree from the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration, and a Doctorate degree in social work from Loyola University Chicago. He is coauthor of two Sage publications, Social Work Practice with African American Men: the invisible presence and Family Therapy with Ethnic Minorities (2003). He has taught courses on family therapy, couple therapy, cross-cultural practice, child welfare practice, generalist social work practice, clinical supervision and clinical practice with men; and conducts workshops and training in these areas. He is a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Illinois and has maintained a (part-time) private practice for more than 20 years in which he specializes in men′s issues, practice with people of color, couple and family therapy.