Social work
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Privilege refers to the unearned advantages enjoyed by a particular group simply because of membership in that group. Privileges accrue to those who (consciously or not) oppress others and are generally invisible to those who enjoy them. ⋯ Building on the concept "loss of terms," Africentric theory provides a framework within which social workers can challenge the invisible hegemony of privilege. This article challenges social workers to understand the nature of privilege as it relates to oppression and to develop a profound multicultural literacy that is carefully translated into practice imperatives.
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Criminal acts stemming from prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or ethnicity--frequently referred to as "hate violence"--have increased during recent years. This study explored the nature of hate attacks and victims' responses to them. The sample consisted of 59 victims and included black, white, and Southeast Asian people. ⋯ About one-third of the victims reported behavioral responses such as moving from the neighborhood or purchasing a gun. The responses of hate violence victims were similar to those of victims of other types of personal crime. Implications for social work intervention are discussed.
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Although social undermining is a commonly experienced stressor in human services workplaces, it has received little study in contemporary models of social work stress and burnout. Furthermore, African Americans currently make up nearly 25 percent of self-identified social workers in the United States, yet most literature on personnel relationships in human services does not reference this group. ⋯ The presence of social support, however, did not diminish the impact of undermining. The authors discuss several practice and training implications of these findings.