Papers by Dr Peta Anne Baker
Caribbean quarterly, Oct 2, 2023
British Journal of Social Work
The 2014 Joint World Conference of social work's three main organisations ratified the revised de... more The 2014 Joint World Conference of social work's three main organisations ratified the revised definition of social work and concluded as it began with a call to action on the issues of inequality and social justice (see www.iasswaiets.org). Having my own experience of involvement in work in these areas, and also of efforts to engage others entering and in the profession, I continue to look for ways to persuade colleagues and students in the Caribbean to become similarly engaged, even as they struggle to manage the multiple and conflicting demands of their professional existence. Here in the Caribbean, the World Bank reports that although most countries continued to achieve small but positive levels of economic growth, the pace at which economies have grown has declined in every decade since the 1970s. The Bank acknowledges that there has been an increasing gap between the rich and poor countries in the region but it is silent on the extent of the income gap within countries. It does, however, observe that the region has the unenviable status of being home to some of the most heavily indebted countries in the world (World Bank, 2005, pp. xv-xvi). The implication of this is that even countries that are classified as middle-or high-income are confronting reductions in government social spending and public sector restructuring similar to those reluctantly agreed by many European governments. Although not as severe among the islands as on the continent, we do need to take note of the fact the Latin American and Caribbean region has one of the highest levels of income inequality in the world (United Nations Development Programme, 2010), especially in light of inequality's association with violent crime (Fajnzylber et al., 2002; Kelly, 2000) and other indicators of social dislocation. Notwithstanding this, inequality is not often the focus of the efforts of many practitioners, although it is the cause of many of the situations to which social workers respond. At a global level, there has been a considerable amount of scholarly output lending support to the view that social work can be regarded as a 'human rights profession' (|Healy, 2008). Janet George suggests that raising questions about the association of social work with human rights would be akin to questioning motherhood (1999, p. 15). It is such a normative idea that it is inconceivable that there should be any question about the profession's engagement in this arena. However, there are many hurdles to be surmounted on the way to a social justice or rights-based focus in social work practice. For example, what is to be
British Journal of Social Work, Sep 1, 2014
The 2014 Joint World Conference of social work's three main organisations ratified the revised de... more The 2014 Joint World Conference of social work's three main organisations ratified the revised definition of social work and concluded as it began with a call to action on the issues of inequality and social justice (see www.iasswaiets.org). Having my own experience of involvement in work in these areas, and also of efforts to engage others entering and in the profession, I continue to look for ways to persuade colleagues and students in the Caribbean to become similarly engaged, even as they struggle to manage the multiple and conflicting demands of their professional existence. Here in the Caribbean, the World Bank reports that although most countries continued to achieve small but positive levels of economic growth, the pace at which economies have grown has declined in every decade since the 1970s. The Bank acknowledges that there has been an increasing gap between the rich and poor countries in the region but it is silent on the extent of the income gap within countries. It does, however, observe that the region has the unenviable status of being home to some of the most heavily indebted countries in the world (World Bank, 2005, pp. xv-xvi). The implication of this is that even countries that are classified as middle-or high-income are confronting reductions in government social spending and public sector restructuring similar to those reluctantly agreed by many European governments. Although not as severe among the islands as on the continent, we do need to take note of the fact the Latin American and Caribbean region has one of the highest levels of income inequality in the world (United Nations Development Programme, 2010), especially in light of inequality's association with violent crime (Fajnzylber et al., 2002; Kelly, 2000) and other indicators of social dislocation. Notwithstanding this, inequality is not often the focus of the efforts of many practitioners, although it is the cause of many of the situations to which social workers respond. At a global level, there has been a considerable amount of scholarly output lending support to the view that social work can be regarded as a 'human rights profession' (|Healy, 2008). Janet George suggests that raising questions about the association of social work with human rights would be akin to questioning motherhood (1999, p. 15). It is such a normative idea that it is inconceivable that there should be any question about the profession's engagement in this arena. However, there are many hurdles to be surmounted on the way to a social justice or rights-based focus in social work practice. For example, what is to be
Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Services, 2004
This study brings to light the phenomenon of aging in the West Indian migrant community in the Un... more This study brings to light the phenomenon of aging in the West Indian migrant community in the United States. It presents the results of a cross-sectional exploratory survey of 107 community-dwelling West Indian women aged 55 years and over living in the Greater Hartford region of Connecticut. The data analysis reveals positive self-reports of health and few limiting or disabling
Handbook of International Social WorkHuman Rights, Development, and the Global Profession, 2011
Handbook of International Social WorkHuman Rights, Development, and the Global Profession, 2011
Encyclopedia of Social Work, 2013
The January 12 earthquake in Haiti offered a stark reminder of the extent to which the countries ... more The January 12 earthquake in Haiti offered a stark reminder of the extent to which the countries of Central America and the Caribbean are vulnerable to a range of natural hazards, including earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, tsunamis, landslides, volcanoes, and drought. In this paper I show that the countries with the highest levels of not just poverty but also inequality tend to have the highest levels of loss of life and physical and economic destruction in cases of natural hazards. I argue that social workers need to adopt a political economy perspective in their approach to disaster management and pay as much attention to social administration and policy advocacy as they do to the more common relief coordination and mental health interventions. I recommend that disaster management become a field of practice for social workers especially in small island developing states and discuss the knowledge and skills needed in the field.
This study brings to light the phenomenon of aging in the West Indian migrant community in the Un... more This study brings to light the phenomenon of aging in the West Indian migrant community in the United States. It presents the results of a cross-sectional exploratory survey of 107 community-dwelling West Indian women aged 55 years and over living in the Greater Hartford region of Connecticut. The data analysis reveals positive self-reports of health and few limiting or disabling conditions. However, there is substantial income inequality, a negative relationship between age group and income and limited use of services among those women most likely to require them. The findings suggest that some of the qualities which contributed to West Indians becoming the “Black success model” in the U.S. may be counterproductive for successful aging. A community-based strategy for addressing these issues is outlined.
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Papers by Dr Peta Anne Baker