How Are African Americans Currently Represented in Various Social Work Venues?

Abstract

Purpose: This study explored how African Americans are currently represented in social work journals, research, and schools. Method: Journal publication content and editorship, research methods and designs, and school mission statements and course titles were examined. Results: Only 14% of publications in the top 5 social work journals targeted African Americans as study subjects. The terms “African American” and “race” appeared in only 10% of mission statements of the top 50 ranked schools of social work and 20% of mission statements of the top 23 ranked historically African American colleges and university (HBCU) schools of social work and appeared in only six bachelor of social work and four master of social work course titles at HBCU social work schools. Only 2 of the top 16 U.S. social work journal editors were African American. Discussion: Across current social work venues, this study reveals that there has been minimal emphasis in research and pedagogy on race and African American–related matters.