Exploring military social work from a social justice perspective

Abstract

Calls to enhance military social work content in social work education present unique challenges for a discipline historically associated with social justice and advocacy for peace. The consequences of war demand intervention along multiple psychosocial domains. However, the question remains as to how social workers can address the discrepancies between social work values and military culture. This article argues that the context-bound nature of social work highlights the reciprocal relationship between macro and micro factors intrinsic to military issues. This provides a holistic understanding of the military system and can enhance educational content on military issues to include international perspectives.