Dimensions of Diversity

This library guide provides UAB social work students, faculty and practitioners with comprehensive resources to explore the 20 dimensions of diversity as defined by the Council on Social Work Education. This guide aims to enhance understanding and promote an anti-oppressive approach in social work education and practice by offering a curated selection of readings, videos, podcasts, and organizational links. Through this guide, users will gain insights into both historical contexts and contemporary issues, empowering them to advocate for and implement inclusive and equitable solutions in their professional endeavors.

According to the Council on Social Work Education’s 2022 Educational Policies and Accreditation Standards, diversity is the presence of differences that may include age, caste, class, color, culture, disability and ability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, generational status, immigration status, legal status, marital status, political ideology, race, nationality, religion and spirituality, sex, sexual orientation, and tribal sovereign status. Further, these dimensions should be understood in the context of intersectionality, which means individuals and groups can hold multiple dimensions as part of their social and political identities, resulting in unique combinations of oppression, marginalization, and alienation, as well as privilege and power.

• Social workers understand how racism and oppression shape human experiences and how these two constructs influence practice at the individual, family, group, organizational, and community levels and in policy and research.
• Social workers understand the pervasive impact of White supremacy and privilege and use their knowledge, awareness, and skills to engage in anti-racist practice.
• Social workers understand how diversity and intersectionality shape human experiences and identity development and affect equity and inclusion.

• Social workers understand that this intersectionality means that a person’s life experiences may include oppression, poverty, marginalization, and alienation as well as privilege and power.
• Social workers understand the societal and historical roots of social and racial injustices and the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination.
• Social workers understand cultural humility and recognize the extent to which a culture’s structures and values, including social, economic, political, racial, technological, and cultural exclusions, may create privilege and power resulting in systemic oppression.

In the context of social work, addressing oppression involves actively working towards dismantling systemic barriers and advocating for policies that promote equity and social justice. This guide aims to equip students and faculty with the knowledge and resources to understand and combat the multifaceted nature of oppression, poverty, marginalization, and alienation. Social work professionals can foster inclusive practices and contribute to a more equitable society by engaging with diverse perspectives through readings, media, and organizational resources.

Pfahl, J. (2000). Birch Alleé, Stan Hywet Gardens, Akron, Ohio [Photograph]. George Eastman House, Rochester, NY, United States. https://www.jstor.org/stable/community.15023082