"This painstakingly well-documented text researches multiple centuries of social policies aimed at the control of people of color in the United States from the earliest years of the republic to the present day. Beginning with the U.S. colonial period, three chapters provide the historical context for understanding the nature if early decision-making processes that have created a racially divided country. These historical analyses of national and state legislation, executive orders, and court decisions trace the clear link between past and present social policies, as they inform social workers engaged in contemporary efforts toward more equitable social policies. Speaking to fundamental policy matters confronting all human service professions, nine contributing authors discuss specific dimensions of social policy formation wherein race is clearly identified as a key component for evaluating the underlying political motivations and the subsequent effects of policies on individuals of color. The chapters draw out common points of concern connecting people of color through carefully researched analyses of important social issues in health and mental health care, child welfare, domestic violence, juvenile and criminal social work practitioners and educators into a collective mode of action for change at the level of policy advocacy and development. The authors share a common goal to eradicate the barriers to a democratic society by demonstrating through empirical analysis the undermining effects of discrimination on democratic values and institutions. Included are multitude of cases in point to educate students across diverse backgrounds how the formation, implementation, and proliferation of discriminatory social policies is their responsibility to address through knowledge, unity of purposes, and collective action." |