Understanding Human Rights: An Exercise Book provides a concise, hands-on roadmap for learning about human rights within a social work context. By illustrating the importance of human rights to the social work profession with understandable explanations and exercises, author Elisabeth Reichert highlights why social workers need to embrace the concept of human rights. Key Features: Recognizes the importance of human rights: Recent policy statements by the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE) and National Association of Social Workers (NASW) emphasize the need to educate social work students and professionals about human rights. This is the first book to incorporate a broad-based approach to the teaching of human rights, without lengthy, academic discussions of human rights principles. Applies human rights principles: An accessible discussion of human rights topics and themes is provided to help students translate human rights concepts into social work practice. This book helps students identify human rights, recognize the value of human rights, analyze human rights, and take action to realize human rights. Provides analytical tools: Each chapter begins with a major human rights theme, followed by exercises to assist students in understanding the discussion. The book aims to make human rights concepts real and adaptable to everyday circumstances. An interactive approach to learning about human rights is offered to generate true enthusiasm to and give students a working knowledge of this extremely important topic. Intended Audience: This book is an ideal supplemental text for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses on policy, practice, and advanced generalist practice in the field of social work, as well as an excellent resource for social work practitioners.
Elisabeth Reichert, LCSW, Ph.D. received her degree in social work from the University of Tennessee in 1985 with the aid of a Fulbright Scholarship. She also holds an equivalent degree in Germany. After receiving her social work degree, she practiced clinical social work until 1994, when she began teaching social work policy and practice. she is professor at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and has previously published a book on Social Work and Human Rights: A Foundation for Policy and Practice.
Introduction Why Human Rights and Social Work? Human Rights and Law Purpose of This Book Outline of Book Teaching Human Rights and Social Work Ch. 1: What Are Human Rights? Definition of Human Rights Three Sets of Human Rights Human Rights Terms Enforcement of Human Rights Exercises Ch. 2: Beginnings of Human Rights Evolution of the Human Rights Framework The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Social Workers and Development of Human Rights Exercises Ch. 3: Building the Foundation: Universal Declaration of Human Rights Opening Statement Summary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Exercises Taking the Human Rights Temperature of Your Community Ch. 4: Beyond the Universal Declaration of Human Rights International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Conclusion Exercises Ch. 5: Human Rights and Vulnerable Groups What is a Vulnerable Group? Women as a Vulnerable Group Children as a Vulnerable Group Victims of Racism as a Vulnerable Group Persons With Disabilities as a Vulnerable Group Persons With HIV-AIDS as a Vulnerable Group Older Persons as a Vulnerable Group Gays and Lesbians as a Vulnerable Group Conclusion Exercises Ch. 6: Cultural Relativism Guidelines for Analyzing Cultural Relativism Cultural Relativism - This Era's Facism? Exercises Ch. 7: Human Rights and Ethics NASW Code of Ethics IFSW and Ethics Human Rights and Ethics Exercises Ch. 8: Social Work Practice and Human Rights Preliminary Foundation for Applying Human Rights Exercises Ch. 9: The International Side of Human Rights and Social Work International Human Rights Issues Exercises Conclusion Appendixes References
"In Understanding Human Rights: An Exercise Book, Elisabeth Reichert has written a basic introduction to human rights specifically for social workers and faculty who teach in this field. The book is clearly written and has a very practical orientation towards the subject of human rights that will engage many readers." -- Debrah L. DeLaet
