Emerging Challenges
Speaking as an immigrant to the United States, Balgopal asks if social work has abandoned the immigrants and discusses the emerging challenges facing social workers. He expresses that today?s social workers have lost their zeal, enthusiasm and fervor to work with present day immigrants. After a discussion of the current concepts of assimilation, acculturation, and cultural pluralism, he concludes that the latter concept is an appropriate concept for social work to adopt. It encourages development of true universalism in which the merits and limitations of different belief system can be intelligently assessed. He asserts that the changing demographics of the country require social workers to ensure that all of its citizens, new and old, can live with self-worth and dignity. Balgopal encourages students and practitioners to learn historical accounts of different immigrant groups coming to the U.S. and their culture, customs, and life styles in order to avoid the myths and stereotypes of model minorities that support the neglect of certain groups. The development of this climate will ensure that the profession does not abandon the immigrants.
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