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Paper Presentation

Social Welfare History

Session: Critical Histories of Social Work and the Legacy of White Supremacist Practices

Standardizing whiteness: A critical race history of the move to social work licensure exams

Our historical analysis examines the uptake of exams for social work licensure in the 1970s. We illuminate a pivotal moment in the profession when predominantly white leadership suppressed BIPOC voices calling for transformation, ensuring a white-centered, free-market-friendly future for social work.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, attendees should be able to:
  1. Describe the impact of social work licensure exam disparities on various populations, such as social workers of color, social workers with disabilities, and non-native English speaking social workers
  2. Apply a critical race historical analysis to the social work exam debate, the social work context as the profession entered the 1980s, and the impact on current social work practice, education, and scholarship
  3. Articulate the connection between white supremacy and disability and its significance for modern social work practice