Dialectics as a Teaching Tool and Practice Skill

In a time of anti-DEI action and hyper-politicized social issues, social work educators serve a critical role in preparing future social workers for a politicized landscape, as well as cultivating socially just interdisciplinary practices. This case report explores the concept of dialectics as both a teaching tool and a practice skill in an undergraduate social work course, Diversity and Culture in Social Work Practice. The report explains the rationale for incorporating dialectics and explores how dialectics were introduced in the course and embedded throughout two semesters. Feedback from students is considered, as are implications for social work education. By incorporating dialectics as a framework for understanding one’s own values and beliefs, interpreting course content, dialoguing about social issues, and planning for future action, students can learn to engage while simultaneously holding multiple viewpoints, tolerating discomfort, withholding judgment, and avoiding defensiveness, all critical resiliency and practice skills in a hyper-politicized society. In considering the use of dialectics, educators can expand how all students, not only social work majors, may critically analyze and demystify social issues, politicized interpretations and proposed solutions, and DEI concepts, as well as challenge the polarized ideologies present in society.