Program Highlights

Mark your Calendars!

The 2025 SSWR program highlights this roster of exciting invited sessions — don’t miss them! The following sessions are presented in person and live-streamed. Sessions are in Pacific Timezone.

“Meet the Scientist” Luncheon (separate fee required)
Thursday, January 16, 2025, 12:15 PM-1:30 PM

• Organizers: Justin Harty, PhD, Early Career Director-at-Large, Arizona State University, Fatima Mabrouk, MSW, Doctoral Student Director-at-Large, New York  University
• Juan Rios, DSW, Seton Hall University
• Yuanjin Zhou, PhD, The University of Texas at Austin
• David Turner, PhD, University of California, Los Angeles
• Eunhye Ahn, PhD, Washington University in Saint Louis
• Dale Maglalang, PhD, MA, MSW, MPH, New York University
• Jane McPherson, PhD, MPH, LCSW, University of Georgia
• David R. Hodge, PhD, Arizona State University
• Jennifer L. Bellamy, PhD, University of Denver
• Kirk Foster, PhD, University of Texas at Arlington

The Society for Social Work and Research will be holding the annual Meet the Scientist Luncheon. This special session provides a forum for early career scholars including doctoral students, post docs, and assistant professors to talk and interact with invited scholars from all levels (postdocs, and assistant to full professor) who are leaders in social work research and the Society. Participants are encouraged to sit with invited scholars who are at career levels of interest and/or have similar research or advocacy interests. Early career scholars will have the opportunity to ask questions about career development, challenges in the field, research initiatives, and where the field might be heading. Each invited scholar will be seated at a table with up to 6 early career scholars.

Wage Equity for Social Workers and the Nonprofit Human Services Sector, Sponsored by the Social Policy Committee 
Thursday, January 16, 2025, 12:30 PM-1:30 PM

• Janice Deguchi, Neighborhood House, https://nhwa.org/about-us/leadership/
• Jennifer Turner, PhD, Institute for Women’s Policy Research, https://care.iwpr.org/speakers/jennifer-turner/
• Jennie Romich, PhD, University of Washington, https://socialwork.uw.edu/people/jennifer-romich/

Invited Journal Editors’ Workshop I: Publishing Research in Peer-Reviewed Journals: Talk with the Editors 
Thursday, January 16, 2025, 3:15 PM-4:45 PM

• Chair: Todd Herrenkohl, PhD, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
• Jennifer Mosley, PhD, The University of Chicago
• Darcey Merritt, PhD, The University of Chicago
• Lisa Zerden, MSW, PhD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Bowen McBeath, PhD, Portland State University
• Margaret Gibson, University of Waterloo

This symposium brings together a panel of editors from six social work journals: Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, Social Service Review, Children and Youth Services Review, Social Work, Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership, & Governance, and Affilia: Feminist Inquiry in Social Work. Editors will offer advice on submitting successful manuscripts and answer questions about their respective journals. The format will allow attendees to talk informally with journal editors about the submission and editorial processes and learn about priorities for each journal.

Opening Plenary
Thursday, January 16, 2025, 5:00 PM-6:30 PM

• Chair: Mary Ohmer, PhD, MSW, MPIA, University of Pittsburgh
• Keynote Speaker: Desmond Upton Patton, PhD, MSW, Brian and Randi Schwartz University Professor of Social Policy and Communications and PIK Professor, Professor of Psychiatry, Penn Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia ( Secondary), Chief Strategy Officer, School of Social Policy and Practice, SAFElab Director, Faculty Director: Penn Center for Inclusive Innovation and Tech ( PCIIT), University of Pennsylvania

Special Session: Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research (JSSWR)
Friday, January 17, 2025, 8:00 AM-9:30 AM

• Chair: Todd I. Herrenkohl, PhD, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
• Tamara Cadet, PhD, University of Pennsylvania
• Lisa de Saxe Zerden, PhD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Bowen McBeath, PhD, Portland State University
• G. Lawrence Farmer, PhD, Fordham University

RCDC Research Roots & Wings Roundtable 1: Flexing your (academic) Freedom: Preparing Early Career Scholars to flourish in an anti-DEI Environment
Friday, January 17, 2025, 9:45 AM-11:15 AM

• Co-Chairs: Bernadine Waller, PhD, Columbia University, Durrell Washington, MSW, The University of Chicago
• Luis Alvarez-Hernandez, PhD, LICSW, Boston University
• Charles Lea, PhD, MSW, University of Houston
• Denise McLane-Davison, PhD, Morgan State University
• Jerome Schiele, PhD, Morgan State University

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are buzzwords that have been particularly pronounced since the highly publicized murders of unarmed Black men and women in 2020. Our nation has long been athirst for changes that protect human rights. George Floyd’s murder was the tipping point. The world witnessed the callousness of entrenched racism, prompting widespread calls for justice. Massive uprisings escalated to unprecedented global protests that quickly translated into transformation in the academy. Importantly, the origins of higher education are steeped in systemic exclusionary practices. Enduring inequities have resulted in lower educational attainment among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), ultimately resulting in fewer BIPOC educators and researchers. Long-standing policies such as Affirmative Action as well as the creation of DEI offices and research initiatives were implemented to ameliorate some of these issues. Recent coordinated attacks have decentered DEI consideration. These assaults are not new; however, legislation has codified states’ freedom to ban DEI effectively. With more than 85 anti-DEI bills introduced across 28 states, state-supported institutions are caught in the crossfire. This leaves scholars whose research centers on the voices and needs of the BIPOC community at odds with the very universities that recruited and pledged to support them. Where does this upheaval leave social work as we engage in critical work and praxis to improve the overall wellbeing of oppressed groups experiencing some of society’s most pressing social problems?

This cross-cutting panel discussion delves into social work scholars’ experiences and their insights into how they are navigating spaces to resist prevailing anti-DEI sentiments while advocating for communities and maintaining academic productivity.

SSWR and Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis 2025 Rosen Lecture
Friday, January 17, 2025, 11:30 AM-12:30 PM

• Keynote Speaker: Leopoldo J. Cabassa, PhD, Professor, Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, https://brownschool.washu.edu/faculty-and-research/leopoldo-cabassa/

Leopoldo J. Cabassa, PhD, MSW
Washington University in St. Louis

Leopoldo J. Cabassa, MSW, Ph.D. is a Puerto Rican social worker. He is the Co-Director of the Center for Mental Health Services Research at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. His research centers on examining physical and mental health inequities in historically marginalized racial and ethnic populations with serious mental illness (SMI; e.g., schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder). His work blends quantitative and qualitative methods, health disparities research, community engagement, intervention research, and implementation science. His research has been supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, the New York State Office of Mental Health, the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, SAMHSA, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Dr. Cabassa is a fellow of the Society for Social Work and Research and the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare. His scholarship is making significant contributions in three areas: improving depression literacy and reducing stigma toward mental illness in the Latino community; 2) reducing physical health inequities in racial/ethnic minoritized and historically marginalized communities with SMI; and 3) improving the health and well-being of young adults experiencing first-episode psychosis. See profile

This session is jointly sponsored by the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) and the Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis.

Invited Symposium I: On the Ground with Community Partners and Researchers: Challenges and Lessons Learned from Violence Prevention Research
Friday, January 17, 2025, 2:00 PM-3:30 PM

• Chair and Moderator: Mary Ohmer, PhD, MPIA, SSWR vice president and 2025 conference chair
• Moderator: Cheryl Hyde, PhD, Temple University
• Tyrone Morris, MSW, Pittsburgh RECAST
• Katiana Foizen, MSW, Philadelphia ReCAST
• Jason Beery, PhD, Community Partner, Pittsburgh RECAST
• Cecelia Ware, Infinite Lifestyle Solutions, Pittsburgh RECAST

Collaborative approaches to conducting research with communities and community partners is becoming more prevalent in social work research. Yet we still have so much more to learn about how to genuinely, respectfully, and effectively engage in collaborative research in ways that center on the perspectives and knowledge of community members to effect change. This symposium will focus on the experiences of community partners and researchers working in two intervention and research partnerships focused on community-centered trauma-informed violence reduction and prevention interventions funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant called ReCAST (Resiliency in Communities after Stress and Trauma). Symposium participants will discuss barriers and potential solutions related to five key areas in collaborative research partnerships: (1) the complexities of multi-partner collaborative research projects, as well as the processes and structures created to manage these complexities; (2) the struggles with capacity at multiple levels, particularly the need to develop the capacity of grassroots community partners; (3) top-down evidence based approaches versus bottom up-co-creation of knowledge; (4) historical and current trust issues between institutions and communities but also within communities; and (5) ways to measure impact and further data justice: understanding what is working or what we have accomplished in ways that advance data justice. Panelists also will address the challenges and possible solutions to developing research partnerships as reported by social work scholars, including the institutional barriers that impact authentic collaborative community research.

This session is sponsored by Platinum Sponsor University of Georgia, School of Social Work.

Brief and Brilliant Session
Friday, January 17, 2025, 3:45 PM-5:15 PM

• Organizers and Moderators: Shannon Sliva, PhD, University of Denver, Caroline Sharkey, University at Albany

From Silence to Resilience: Amplifying the Voices of Bipoc Teen Mothers through Creative Arts and Autoethnography
Michelle Ridley, LMSW, University of Kansas

“You’Re Going to Kill People By Passing a Law”: Social Work, Anti-Trans Legislation, and Research
Megan (Meg) Paceley, PhD, University of Connecticut

By Your Side: Prison Doulas and Reproductive Justice
Angela DeCandia, DSW, LCSW, Kean University

Reality Check: Transforming Cancer Education for Latina Immigrant Women through Augmented Reality
Venera Bekteshi, PhD, University of Oklahoma

Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation Among U.S. College Students: Can We Stop It?
Lianne Urada, PhD, San Diego State University

African American Gospel, Country and Hip-Hop Music: Portals to Psychological and Behavioral Wellness
Kamilah Majied, PhD, California State University Monterey Bay

Invited Journal Editors’ Workshop II: Forum on Publishing Qualitative Research 
Friday, January 17, 2025, 3:45 PM-5:15 PM

• Chair: Jane Gilgun, PhD, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
• Mery Diaz, PhD, New York City College of Technology
• Margaret Gibson, PhD, University of Waterloo
• Robert Hawkins, PhD, North Carolina State University
• Sharvari Karandikar, PhD, The Ohio State University
• Lisette Piedra, PhD, LCSW, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Susan Robbins, PhD, University of Houston
• Cristina Wilson, PhD, University of Connecticut

This workshop is for conference participants seeking to publish qualitative research and scholarly work in social work journals. The workshop brings together a distinguished panel of editors, former editors, and researchers from five journals: Qualitative Social Work, Affillia, Social Work Research, Journal of Social Work Education, and Families in Society. These journals are highly regarded and share commitments to excellence in social work research and publication. In this session, the editors describe the aims of their respective journals and editorial decision-making processes and discuss several issues, including how to match topics to specific journals, review processes, features of articles they’ve accepted for publication, how to respond to reviewer comments, and how to address the implications of their research for practice and policy. Most important, they will create a discussion with participants about what constitutes publishable qualitative articles that influences practice and policy.

Much of the session is a dialogue between participants and panel members. Participants will write questions on index cards, and the chair will read the questions to the editors. This part of the session moves into a general discussion of topics of interest. The editors contribute to the scholarly development of the participants by building skills related to successful publications.

Special Symposium: “Whose facts matter!? – Part Two: Epistemic justice & professional values in faculty recruitment, promotion, tenure, and merit processes” 
Friday, January 17, 2025, 3:45 PM-5:15 PM

• Convenor: Ramona Denby-Brinson, PhD, MSW, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Social Work
• Moderator: Gina M. Samuels, PhD, The University of Chicago, Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice
• Darcey Merritt, PhD, The University of Chicago, Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice
• Michele Munson, PhD, New York University, Silver School of Social Work
• Marci A. Ybarra, PhD, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work
• David R Hodge, PhD, Arizona State University, School of Social Work
• Philip Hong, PhD, University of Georgia, School of Social Work

Last year a special workshop titled, “Whose facts matter!?: Epistemic justice & professional values in the practice of social work science” was convened. This well-attended and lively session explored, “…how varied forms of power operate in one’s sub-field, whose data matter and who decides, systems in academia that perpetuate epistemic injustice, and what this all means for the social impact, use, and relevance of the knowledge we produce.” Workshop participants took to the floor and challenged those in attendance to consider that epistemic injustice has direct and immediate consequences on faculty recruitment, hiring, and career advancement. As such, Part Two of this special session continues the conversation by asking panel members to address the following:(1) provide a brief framing and recap of general forms of epistemic injustice in science; (2) discuss how does the discreditation of people’s research focus and scholarship, manifest in faculty evaluation processes; and (3) how do we dismantle epistemic bias in promotion, tenure, and merit processes.

The audience will be engaged to discuss the reasons why epistemic justice ought to be a cornerstone of social work science. The moderator will bridge the panelists’ points with the audience’s reflections to illustrate the effects of scholarly devaluation and epistemic injustice on social work science and the communities that social work researchers represent. Schools of social work leaders including deans, research deans, faculty affairs deans, senior professors, and personnel, promotion and tenure (PPT) chairs are especially important to the discussion and will therefore be encouraged to attend. Likewise, early and mid-career faculty voices are sought for the discussion. Collectively, the workshop aims to establish civil discourse where we unpack the challenges and seek solutions for advancing knowledge democracy in the academy.

Invited Symposium II: Funding Collaborative Community Partnered Research: A Discussion with Funders and Researchers 
Saturday, January 18, 2025, 9:45 AM-11:15 AM

• Chair and Speaker: Mary Ohmer, PhD, MPIA, University of Pittsburgh, SSWR vice president and 2025 conference chair
• Moderator: Sara Goodkind, PhD, University of Pittsburgh
• Speakers: Andrea Robles, AmeriCorps
• Christopher T. Allen, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Joyce Dieterly, MPH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Jason Beery, PhD, Community Partner, Pittsburgh RECAST
• Liz Miller, PhD, University of Pittsburgh
• Kathi Elliott, DNP, MSW, CRNP, Gwen’s Girls

Support for collaborative community research has grown over the last decade. New funding sources have supported social work scholars working with community partners to conduct research to address community identified issues through community-based participatory and community engaged research. This invited symposium is a conversation about the funders’ vision for supporting collaborative research, how their funding streams support their overall mission and goals, and what types of collaborative funding they provide. Researchers will discuss how this funding has furthered their research and engagement with community partners and their impact working collaboratively on community identified issues. The future of collaborative community research will also be discussed, including challenges and potential solutions to developing and sustaining collaborative research partnerships.

This session is sponsored by Gold Sponsor Boston University, School of Social Work.

Annual Social Policy Forum
Saturday, January 18, 2025, 11:30 AM-12:30 PM

• Chair: David Pate, Jr., PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison, social policy committee chair
• Keynote Speaker: David Sanders, PhD, Executive Vice  President of Systems Improvement, Casey Family Programs

David Sanders, PhD
Casey Family Programs

David Sanders joined Casey Family Programs in July 2006. He oversees the foundation’s work with child welfare systems to improve practice, with an emphasis on ensuring safe and permanent families for children. He also oversees the foundation’s public policy and research work. In addition, President Obama appointed him chair of the federal Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities. Prior to joining Casey Family Programs, he directed all operations for the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. See profile

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This session is sponsored by Platinum Sponsor University of Georgia, School of Social Work.

 

 

Student Session and Luncheon: Palestine, Free Speech and DEI Bans: Social Work’s Response to Silencing Tactics, Genocide, and Systemic Injustice 
Saturday, January 18, 2025, 12:30 PM-1:45 PM

• Sireen Irsheid, PhD, The University of Chicago
• Amie Thurber, PhD, Portland State University
• Adam McCormick, PhD, University of Texas at El Paso
• Brianna Suslovic, MSW, The University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice
• Aneelah Afzali, American Muslim Empowerment Network

Social Work’s inaction in the face of ongoing genocide across the world speaks to a recurring issue: the disparity between our ethical principles and practical actions. Social Work has fallen short in upholding its core values amid genocide and erasure of Palestinians by colonial entities. This silence in the face of genocide is part of a larger tendency within social work to neglect our obligation to stand with the most marginalized and oppressed as demonstrated by the indifference towards genocide in African, Middle Eastern, and Caribbean countries such as Yemen, Sudan, Congo, Ethiopia, and Haiti. Silencing tactics by social work schools, agencies, and organizations have limited students, faculty, and staff’s ability to challenge social injustice and work for social change on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed people. The fight for social justice should not be minimized by global distance as MLK Jr. once said, ““Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”. Genocide is far reaching and silencing tactics have also obscured the state-sanctioned genocide in African and Caribbean nations, necessitating greater attention and action among social work to address these overlooked human rights injustices. These silencing tactics around genocide are occurring within a context of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion bans which collectively hinder our ability to dismantle oppressive structures uphold the core values of Social Work. Students, staff, and faculty have faced violence and academic discipline for exercising their right to free speech and protest through peaceful demonstrations and encampments. The combination of silencing, surveillance, and policing tactics have negatively impacted the overall safety and well-being of all those on campus regardless of their stance and involvement on the issue. Genocide’s relevance has transcended into the field of Social Work with many implications for researchers, practitioners, and the communities they serve. This topic is not only relevant to those who focus on global social work, but for those working in all subsets of the field including legal studies, immigration, mental and physical health, housing justice, military, colonial and decolonial studies, racial and Indigenous studies, and policy at all levels, macro, mezzo, and micro.

This year’s Student Luncheon convenes a diverse group of social work scholars, educators, organizers, and practitioners to discuss and promote a dialogue on: 1) Silencing tactics, and the politics of free speech within the context of Critical Race Theory and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion bans, 2) Encampment for Palestine and the importance of advocacy and resistance, 3) Utilizing the case of Palestine as well as Haiti, Sudan, and Congo to highlight Social Work’s responsibility in promoting a unified approach to addressing systemic inequalities and advocating for human rights.

About SSWR: The Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) was founded in 1994 as a free-standing organization dedicated to the advancement of social work research. The Society for Social Work and Research advances, disseminates, and translates research that addresses social work practice and policy issues and promotes a diverse, just, and equitable society. As part of this mission, SSWR organizes an Annual Conference with over 500 symposia, workshops, roundtables, poster presentations, and a student luncheon.

Grand Challenges for Social Work Roundtable: Leveraging the Social Impact of the Grand Challenges for Social Work: A Framework for Collaborative and Community Engaged Research
Saturday, January 18, 2025, 12:45 PM-1:45 PM

• Kira Silk, LMSW, University of Maryland at Baltimore
• Schnavia Hatcher, PhD, University of Alabama
• Carrie Pettus, PhD, Justice System Partners
• Michael Spencer, PhD, University of Washington

In an era marked by complex societal challenges, social work scholars and practitioners are called upon to harness the power of community engaged collaboration and innovation to address pressing issues affecting individuals, families, institutions, and communities. A community-engaged Grand Challenges for Social Work initiative provides a visionary framework to guide research, education, policy, and practice efforts aimed at tackling some of the most significant challenges facing society today. Since its inception, the Grand Challenges for Social Work initiative has catalyzed transformative research and action across the social work profession. Through cross-university and interdisciplinary collaboration, the initiative has demonstrated its potential to drive meaningful change. By aligning research priorities with pressing social needs, the Grand Challenges framework has empowered researchers to generate actionable insights and evidence-based solutions to some of society’s most pressing challenges. This roundtable session will explore the powerful potential of a community-engaged Grand Challenges framework as a roadmap for collaborative research endeavors aimed at achieving measurable social impact. This session will delve into key aspects of a community-engaged Grand Challenges framework, including its historical context, overarching goals, and demonstrations of impact of collaborative research within the Grand Challenge networks.

Through interactive dialogue and shared experiences, attendees will explore strategies for leveraging the Grand Challenges framework to foster community-engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, mobilize resources, and drive meaningful impact in society.

Key topics to be addressed include:

• Understanding Existing Examples of Community Engaged Grand Challenges Work the Grand Challenges for Social Work: Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the Grand Challenges framework, including its origins, evolution, and strategic objectives. The session will highlight the significance of the Grand Challenges as a unifying force within the social work profession, inspiring collective action and innovation.
• Facilitating Collaborative Research: This session will examine a framework of strategies for fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and partnerships across academia, government, and community-based organizations. Participants will learn how the Grand Challenges framework can serve as a catalyst for generating new research ideas, forging innovative partnerships, and translating findings into actionable solutions.
• Advancing Social Impact: Finally, attendees will discuss the ways in which Grand Challenges networks have used social work research to drive tangible social impact and transformative change. Through a focus on dissemination, advocacy, and policy engagement, presenters will highlight opportunities for researchers to amplify their impact and contribute to the achievement of the Grand Challenges’ overarching goals.
• By harnessing the collective expertise and passion of the social work community, we can work together to address the most pressing challenges of our time and create a more just and equitable world for all.

Presidential Plenary
Saturday, January 18, 2025, 2:00 PM-3:00 PM

• Chair and Moderator: Ramona Denby-Brinson, PhD, MSW, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Keynote Speaker: Isabel Wilkerson

Isabel Wilkerson

Isabel Wilkerson, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Humanities Medal, is a leading light in this time of uncertainty and is the author of the critically acclaimed New York Times bestsellers The Warmth of Other Suns, and Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.

“Wilkerson’s work,” in the words of The American Prospect, “is the missing puzzle piece of our country’s history.”

The Warmth of Other Suns won the National Book Critics Circle Award and was named to more than 30 Best of the Year lists, including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post. In 2024, The New York Times named it one of the 100 Best Books of the 21st Century, ranking it the No. 1 Nonfiction Book — and No. 2 among all books published this century.

Her latest book, Caste, became a No. 1 New York Times bestseller and was named Nonfiction Book of the Year by Time Magazine. Oprah Winfrey, in choosing it for her book club in the summer of 2020, declared it the most important book she had ever selected.

Wilkerson won the Pulitzer Prize in 1994 for her deeply humane narrative writing while serving as Chicago Bureau Chief of The New York Times, making her the first black woman in the history of American journalism to win a Pulitzer Prize and the first African American to win for individual reporting. In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded Wilkerson the National Humanities Medal for “championing the stories of an unsung history.”

As the historian Jill Lepore observed in The New Yorker: “What Wilkerson urges, isn’t argument at all; it’s compassion. Hush, and listen.”

See Website

This session is sponsored by Platinum Sponsor University of Washington, School of Social Work.

Fellows and Awards Presentations
Saturday, January 18, 2025, 3:15 PM-3:45 PM

• Co-Chairs: Ramona Denby-Brinson, PhD, MSW, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Joan Blakey, PhD, LCSW, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Invited Symposium III: Strengthening Social Work Science and Collaboration Amid Anti-DEI and Anti-Democratic Initiatives
Saturday, January 18, 2025, 4:00 PM-5:30 PM

• Chair: Mary Ohmer, PhD, MPIA, SSWR vice president and 2025 conference chair
• Moderator: Justin Harty, PhD, Arizona State University
• Mimi Abramovitz, DSW, Hunter College
• Kyaien O. Conner, PhD, University of Pittsburgh
• Lenna Nepomnyaschy, PhD, Rutgers University

The rising tide of anti-DEI and anti-democratic initiatives within society and academia poses a substantial threat to the fabric of social work research, particularly in collaborations with historically marginalized and minoritized communities. These initiatives directly assault antiracist, anticolonial, and democratic principles, undermining the foundation of social work science and research collaborations. Anti-DEI initiatives directly threaten social work science by stifling the diversity of perspectives and experiences that enrich research and enhance its relevance to real-world problems. They also disrupt collaborative bonds between researchers and communities, essential for developing interventions that effectively address systemic inequities. Anti-democratic movements undermine open dialogue and shared decision-making, eroding trust between researchers and community partners, critical for co-creating knowledge that addresses the needs and rights of those most affected by injustice. Such changes not only jeopardize the integrity and efficacy of social work science but also challenge our commitment to fostering a just and equitable society. The symposium will delve into the following areas: 1. Articulating the Threats: Examining how anti-DEI and anti-democratic initiatives undermine the antiracist, anticolonial, and democratic principles essential to social work research. This session will assess the nature and scale of these challenges, explore the motives behind such initiatives, and discuss their impact on marginalized and minoritized communities. 2. Implications of Threats: This discussion will focus on the consequences of these threats for social work researchers and the communities they collaborate with. It will explore both the historical and contemporary effects of these regressive trends on the profession and practice of social work, particularly how they hinder effective collaboration and the co-creation of knowledge. 3. Counter-strategies to Threats: Presenting actionable strategies to counteract the impact of anti-DEI and anti-democratic policies. This will include a range of responses such as advocacy for policy change, innovative research methodologies that reinforce democratic and inclusive principles, and strengthening community partnerships to ensure that social work research remains a powerful tool for justice and equity.

This session is sponsored by Gold Sponsor Boston University, School of Social Work.

RCDC Research Roots & Wings Roundtable 2: Upholding Academic Freedom in Social Work Research in the Context of Diversity-Related Challenges
Saturday, January 18, 2025, 4:00 PM-5:30 PM

• Co-Chairs: Mo Yee Lee, PhD, The Ohio State University, Fatima Mabrouk, MSW, New York University
• Moderator: Mo Yee Lee, PhD, The Ohio State University
• Mimi Chapman, PhD, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Robert Eschmann, PhD, Boston University
• Kirk Foster, PhD, University of Texas at Arlington
• Fatima Mabrouk, MSW, New York University

Doctoral students are launched into the field, facing complex realities at different levels. One major challenge is how do social work researchers and academia navigate the political landscape and the challenges it presents to academic freedom, especially in the context of doctoral education. This session aims to explore the challenges faced by doctoral students who, even before entering their prospective roles, may encounter censorship and silencing, particularly if their research focuses on Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI). By examining regional variations in these experiences, and engaging Deans, Directors, doctoral students, and both tenure-track and non-tenure-track faculty, the session will address strategies for confronting resistance to ADEI initiatives within academic institutions, especially in regions with significant sociopolitical obstacles. Additionally, the discussion will cover the implications of policy changes and procedural adjustments within academic institutions required to support ADEI efforts. Drawing on tenets of Critical Race Theory, the session will also highlight how the voices of doctoral students can impact decision-making processes on their academic and professional trajectories, especially regarding ADEI language in syllabi, research projects, and doctoral education. Attendees will gain valuable insights into advancing social work research and ADEI objectives amidst complex political and institutional challenges. Specifically, the roundtable will facilitate dialogues around: (1) current and evolving policies affecting ADEI efforts including how these policies influence decision-making processes, particularly regarding the modification of ADEI language in syllabi and research projects; (2) challenges pertaining to doctoral education (e.g., language framing and censorship), and efforts to minimize ADEI initiatives and silence doctoral students and faculty scholarship and voices; (3) regional differences and political contexts that shape these dynamics and impact doctoral students’ experiences and career trajectories, and (4) strategies to navigate these challenges while fostering a sustained commitment to equity and inclusivity within their institutions.

Membership Business Meeting
Saturday, January 18, 2025, 5:45 PM-6:15 PM

• Chair: Ramona Denby-Brinson, PhD, MSW, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill