International field education: A case study of developing an anti-colonial group study program in Mexico

Abstract

International field education offers an exemplary means by which social work students can enhance cultural awareness and develop skills in working with diverse communities. This article describes an exploratory study using 14 key informant interviews to establish a social work group study program in Mexico. Findings illustrate how the incorporation of key academic and community-based stakeholders using an anticolonial/postcolonial framework in international field education can contribute to an enriched experience for all participants. Providing social work students with exposure to epistemologies and ontologies that may differ from the Western-dominated education are important in understanding the human experience in different contexts.