Social Justice, Anti-Racism, and Disproportionality in Social Work: A Capabilities Approach

Despite social justice as an ethical imperative, racism is an ongoing problem in social work. Using critical race theory, this paper outlines the capabilities approach (CA) as one conceptual orientation toward social justice, promoting it as a useful anti-racist tool in social work. Employing CA to analyze the disproportionality in social services for racialized individuals in child welfare and health services in the United States and Canada, the article underscores the value of CA to investigate what should constitute social justice in social work. Indigenous Peoples/Native Americans and those of African descent will be the focus of attention. The article delineates how social work might utilize the commitments of CA for themselves as individuals, as well as in social work theory, education, practice, and policy.