Social Policy Research in Social Work in the Twenty-First Century: The State of Scholarship and the Profession; What Is Promising, and What Needs to Be Done

This article examines the state of social work scholarship in contemporary social policy using three illustrative domains: antipoverty policy, child welfare policy, and health policy. We argue that social work has a comparative advantage in social policy research as a practice profession and a profession with a social justice mission. In each domain, we identify cutting-edge social work scholarship. However, when assessing our influence on social policy making in the real world, our conclusions are mixed. We argue that future scholarship success will require leveraging our comparative advantages, keeping up to date with innovative research methodologies, playing leadership roles in research institutes and laboratories, working in interdisciplinary teams, collaborating with government, and employing strategic approaches to dissemination. To achieve greater policy influence, we must articulate our value to social policy, remain committed to social justice and the communities we serve, and persuade our fellow citizens to follow the evidence.