Abstract
Abolition and social work: Possibilities, paradoxes, and the practice of community care is a collection of writings on the abolitionist movement within social work. Contributions highlight efforts being made within the social work profession to recognize the part its members continue to play in sustaining the carceral state. The book’s essays also discuss ways to dismantle the profession’s anti-liberatory practices, policies, and traditions. The editors of this volume have researched and written extensively on abolition and related topics. The stated intention in producing this collection of abolitionist scholarship is to give life to abolitionist social work efforts in progress and “honor those who have already been moving the work of abolition from theory to praxis” (p. 6). The conception of this abolition anthology blossomed in the aftermath of the 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. At that time, the social work profession was called upon to mitigate the police violence that was responsible for the disproportionate number of brutal deaths of Black and Brown people. Some social workers asserted that the social work profession, through its collusion with institutions that surveil and punish vulnerable people, has been and continues to be an agent of the carceral state, albeit a seemingly softer version than police departments, jails, and prisons.
The book is organized into three sections, Possibilities, Paradoxes, and Praxis, that respond to three questions central to the debate on the role of social work in abolition work: 1) Does social work hold any promise in supporting abolition work?, 2) What are the tensions within the field of social work with respect to the role it plays in abolition efforts given the profession’s history and mission?, and 3) Are there examples of current social work praxis principles that can ground future praxis? As social work practitioners and educators with well-established reputations, editors Mimi Kim, Cameron Rasmussen, and Durrell Washington Sr. have compiled essays that reflect the range of abolitionist thinking and practice that have emerged in the post-George Floyd era. Although the book seems to have been written for an academic audience, some contributions may appeal to emerging social workers and non-academic individuals involved in or curious about abolition work.
The anthology begins with an introduction authored by the editors and a re-print of Angela Y. Davis's keynote speech delivered in 2019 at the Society for Social Work Research annual meeting. Section 1 (Possibilities) introduces the reader to the field’s history of endorsing oppressive practices while emphasizing the visionary efforts being made to disrupt the field’s long history of partnership with the carceral state. Chapter 4 (Indigenist abolition: A talk story on ideas and strategies for social work practice) masterfully presents a discussion of Indigenous abolitionist principles and includes essential terms that help ground the reader’s understanding of abolitionist concepts. Section 2 (Paradoxes) invites the reader to think critically about social work practices that have historically fueled controversy within the field. The editors’ decision to include writings that encourage social workers to boldly challenge the profession’s status quo is commendable. Section 3 (Praxis) showcases praxis possibilities that pivot away from deficit-oriented care models to approaches that are empowering, liberatory, and tending toward harm reduction frameworks that have the potential to “end social work’s addiction to the state” (p. 143).
A strong bias against the social work profession is evident throughout the book beginning with the forward, guest-written by Mariame Kaba, who is a renowned prison abolition activist. While critique of the social work profession is necessary and warranted, social work educators may wish to exercise caution when using the book or any individual essays in their social work curricula. In particular, the proposition offered in Chapter 9 (Social work and family policing: A conversation between Joyce McMillan and Dorothy Roberts) regarding mandated reporting might be misinterpreted by inexperienced social work students, thus potentially endangering the lives of children and families they serve. Discussions regarding the ethical conflicts surrounding mandated reporting require an experienced facilitator that can carefully address student questions about a process rife with complexity. Aside from this precaution, the book is a “must read” for anyone who believes that harm reduction, accountability for wrongdoing, and public safety can be achieved without forfeiting the rights of vulnerable individuals.
Engagement with abolitionist discourse is long overdue in social work education. The growing public scrutiny of policing and carceral practices provides an open invitation for social workers to actively take part in creating a world that promotes healing and does not prioritize punishment. Engaging in discussions of controversial topics, including and especially abolition, is a prerequisite to building systems of care that do not confine human beings unnecessarily nor disenfranchise communities. Granted, these discussions may result in the dismantling of the social work profession as it has come to be known, but perhaps that is a sacrifice social workers should be willing to make.
Abolition and social work invites all those who advocate for freedom to engage with abolitionist scholarship in pursuit of a world that does not respond to social problems by institutionalizing members of our most vulnerable communities. Insights gained from this eclectic compilation will inspire social workers to reconsider the role the profession has played in perpetuating systemic harm and to think strategically about how social work praxis can change the status quo by advancing abolitionist imaginations from hopeful visions to lasting systemic transformation rooted in equity and justice.
Absent from this collection of abolitionist scholarship is any writing on the activism that has long been underway among immigrant rights advocates aimed at abolishing harmful U.S. immigration practices and policies. Given the widespread endorsement of anti-immigrant rhetoric and regimes across the geopolitical landscape, the inclusion in the book of a selection that addresses the historic role of social work in eradicating inhumane immigration systems would have greatly contributed to this work.
