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Article: Social Workers and Politics in the New Century.
- Article from:
- Social Work
- Article date:
- July 1, 2000
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2000 National Association of Social Workers. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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For the past generation, social workers have spent most of their political energies defending the nation's fragile safety net and legal protections for women and people of color against those who would denigrate, devolve, "defund," dismantle, and destroy them. Despite these efforts, "welfare reform" and managed care appear to be political "givens." Attacks on affirmative action, reproductive choice, and civil rights for gay men and lesbians are increasing. The movement to privatize everything from prisons to schools to social security and Medicare gathers momentum and legitimacy. During the 1990s, social workers had little influence on debates over health insurance and ...