Publication Date

2008

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Department

School for Social Work

Abstract

This research study was undertaken to examine the organizational changes involved in the establishment of the Smith College School for Social Work's commitment to anti-racism during the years 1993 – 1998 in order to establish a chronology of the changes and to collect community members' reflections on the process. The retrospective case study involved interviews with 12 community members – faculty, staff, and alumni – who were present at the School between the years 1993 – 1998 and who were involved in some aspect of the changes. The members were interviewed about their involvement in the changes, their recollections of the changes, and their reflections on the changes. In addition to interviews, School documents were reviewed, including the Meeting Minutes of the Anti-Racism Task Force, in order to establish the chronology of the changes. The findings are presented in two parts. Firstly, the data are organized into a chronology of the major events, interspersed with commentary from participant interviews regarding these events. Secondly, participant recollections are organized into five major themes regarding the processes of change that occurred. This study contributes to the literature regarding multicultural organizational development and methods of addressing institutional racism in higher education, and is hoped to be a contribution to the Smith College School for Social Work, as it provides an additional study of the changes that are inextricable from the School's current mission.

Comments

Thesis (M.S.W.)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2008. iv, 160 p. : ill. Includes bibliographical references (p. 144-149)

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