HUMAN DIFFERENCES, SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS, WELL-BEING & CHANGE THROUGH THE LIFE COURSE Social Work 500.001 Fall, 2001

This course takes a multi cultural and critical perspective on understanding individuals, families, and their interpersonal and group relationships; lifespan development; theories of well-being, stress, coping and adaptation. The emphasis within this course is on knowledge about individuals and small social systems and the implications of this knowledge for all domains of social work practice. Students will be introduced to the concepts of risk and protective factors, with relevant examples at the individual and small group levels. Students will also consider the implications of this knowledge for intervening in social problems and supporting rehabilitation once problems have developed. Major components will be concerned with the processes of oppression, privilege, and discrimination and factors that help people and small social systems change. The knowledge presented will include the inter-relationships between smaller and larger social systems, and in particular, how biological factors and the larger social and physical environments shape and influence individual and family well-being. CONTENT: Content will include selected theories of human behavior, human development, families and small groups, and individual and small system change. Students will consider how relevant concept