Toward a Livable Life: A 21st Century Agenda for Social Work [Hardcover]

Toward a Livable Lifeexplores many of today's most critical issues facing both the United States and the profession of social work (i.e., poverty, inequality, disparities in health, discrimination, and several other areas). The volume enlists the insights of leading social work scholars in order to assess the causes behind these problems and identify innovative solutions.Historically, social workers have confronted and alleviated many of society's most far-reaching and seemingly intractable challenges. As we move further into the 21st century, however, the field faces a renewed call to action as critical problems become more deeply and widely engrained in the world's social fabric. Enlisting the insights of leading social work scholars, Toward a Livable Life grapples with 13 key areas in an effort to identify innovative solutions toward achieving a livable life -- that is, a life in which individuals are able to thrive and develop in order to reach their full potential and capacity. To this end, the volume paves the way for the effort that lies ahead for social work researchers, practitioners, teachers, and students.ForewordChapter 1. IntroductionChapter 2. Tackling the Root Socioeconomic Determinants of Ill HealthChapter 3. Alleviating PovertyChapter 4. Reducing Discrimination, Stigma, and Social ExclusionChapter 5. Building Financial and Tangible Assets for the Entire PopulationChapter 6. Preventing Child Neglect and AbuseChapter 7. Fostering Civic Engagement Across the Life CourseChapter 8. Generating Thriving, Diverse, and Durable CommunitiesChapter 9. Reforming the Process of IncarcerationChapter 10. Productively Engage Older AdultsChapter 11. Generating Effective Demand and Use of Social ServicesChapter 12. Designing and Implementing Policy and Program InnovationsChapter 13. Leveraging Big Data Analytics and InformaticsChapter 14. ConclusionMark Robert Rank,PhD, MS, is Herbert S. Hadley Professor of Social Welfare at Washington Univel“¯