Dimensions of Diversity

Policy (From the Open Education Sociology Dictionary):

• (n.) Any course of action or procedure by an individual or group with authority and power that affects others. 
• (n.) Any course of action or procedure by an individual or group with authority and power that sets priorities (particularly funding), deadlines, and goals that affect members of a group or society.

Politics (From the Open Education Sociology Dictionary): 

• (n.) The art of the exercise of power; the combination of individuals or parties (groups) making decisions that affect others and institutions (i.e., government, legal system, military, police) that governs based on those decisions.

Political action (from the Social Work Dictionary): 

• Coordinated efforts to influence legislation, election of candidates, and social causes. Social workers engage in political action by running for elective office, organizing campaigns in support of other candidates or issues, fundraising, and mobilizing voters and public opinion. Political action also includes lobbying, testifying before legislative committees, and monitoring the work of officeholders and government workers.

Political activism (from the Social Work Dictionary): 

• Engaging in activities that influence the decisions and viewpoints of elected officials or their appointees, civil servants, and the electorate. Such activities include holding voter registration drives, performing social consciousness-raising activities, raising funds to help finance legislators’ campaigns, lobbying and other types of political advocacy, running for political office, engaging in media campaigning, and helping monitor elections to ensure their fairness.

Political Ideology (from the International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences): 

• A political ideology is a set of ideas, beliefs, values, and opinions, exhibiting a recurring pattern, that competes deliberately as well as unintentionally over providing plans of action for public policy making in an attempt to justify, explain, contest, or change the social and political arrangements and processes of a political community. 

Why do social workers need to know about political ideology? 

Social workers must be aware of political ideology because it shapes the systems, policies, and power dynamics that impact clients’ lives, particularly those in marginalized populations. Systems influenced by political ideologies can perpetuate systemic inequalities, creating barriers to resources such as housing, healthcare, and education. Understanding these influences allows social workers to critically assess these structures, address root causes of oppression, and advocate for systemic changes that promote equity and social justice. This awareness also enhances cultural humility by helping practitioners recognize how their own beliefs and those of their clients are shaped by broader systems, enabling more empathetic and contextually informed interventions that align with human rights and justice.

The Encyclopedia of Social Work

Additional Readings: