Structural Social Work Practice and the Mexican Experience in Chicago

The Mexican community in Chicago has been part of the social, cultural, political and economic life of the city for over a century and is expected to continue having exponential growth in the coming decades. Despite the longevity of their experience in Chicago, several social issues and inequities continue to significantly affect this population. Using the migration experience of the Mexican community in Chicago as a case study, students will examine the transnational, historical, political and economic relationship between the U.S. and Mexico. With a theoretical grounding in globalization and Structural Social Work, local issues will be examined to understand the underlying dimensions that shape those issues for the Mexican population both in Chicago and abroad. The course will focus on immigration policy, the criminal justice system, labor, health, mental health, education, community organizing and community development while challenging students to critically understand the issues along with the sources of systemic oppression, in order to create opportunities for strategic impact in working towards social change with marginalized communities.
This course fulfills the Human Diversity Requirement.
This course is one of SSA's global and international course offerings.