JSWE Calls for Abstracts for Special DEI-Focused Edition

News

Published on : June 2, 2025

The Journal of Social Work Education (JSWE) invites abstract submissions for a special issue titled “Social Work Education at a Crossroads: The Impact of Anti-DEI Movements on Social Work Education.” 

The core values of the social work profession are under fire as legislation targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is adopted at the federal and state level. And yet, social work education cannot retreat from its ethical and professional commitment to these core values. Therefore, educators must navigate new and deeply politicized challenges.

This special issue will explore how social work educators, programs, and students respond to current tensions, resist erasure, sustain ethical obligations, and reimagine pedagogy in an increasingly hostile landscape. It is intended for social work educators, deans, program directors, students, field instructors, community partners, and accreditation bodies. The special issue also invites reflection from allied disciplines intersecting with social work to advance social justice education while exploring the following key topics:

  • The Impact of Anti-DEI Legislation on Social Work Curriculum
  • Academic Freedom and the Teaching of Social Justice in Social Work
  • Student Experiences in Social Work Programs Amidst Anti-DEI Movements
  • Accreditation Standards and the Future of ADEI in Social Work Education
  • Preparing Social Work Students for Practice in a Politicized Landscape
  • Faculty Advocacy and Resistance in Social Work Education
  • Sustaining Culturally Responsive and Anti-Racist Pedagogy
  • The Emotional and Psychological Toll of Anti-ADEI Efforts on Social Work Educators and Students
  • Social Work Education and the Broader Political Landscape
  • Community Partnerships and Social Work Education in the Anti-DEI Era

The abstracts should be no longer than 300 words. Authors of selected abstracts will be invited to submit a full manuscript for peer review. Submissions should follow JSWE guidelines.

Deadlines:

  • August 1, 2025: Abstracts submitted via Submittable
  • September 1, 2025: Guest Editors provide abstract dispositions
  • November 3, 2025: Final manuscripts submitted via JSWE’s ScholarOne portal

For more questions and more information, contact [email protected].