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SAGE Journal User Guide

Article 1.

Gray, M., & Coates, J. (2013). Changing values and valuing change: Toward an ecospiritual perspective in social work. International Social Work, 56(3), 356-368. doi:10.1177/0020872812474009

This article explores the ecopspiritual perspective and its compatibility with social work values and principles.

Questions:

1. Describe the basic tenets of the ecospiritual perspective and how it aims to address the anthropocentric bias in traditional views of the natural world. 
2. How does ecospirituality distinguish itself from the New Age spiritual movement?   
3. What do ecospirituality and social work principles have in common? 

Article 2.

Shaw, T. V. (2013). Is social work a green profession? an examination of environmental beliefs. Journal of Social Work, 13(1), 3-29. doi:10.1177/1468017311407555

Reporting on a national survey of social workers, this article explores social workers’ knowledge of and attitudes about environmental issues.  Findings suggest that more work is needed to integrate ecological/environmental concerns into social work education and practice. 

Questions:

1. What is the New Environmental Paradigm (NEP)?  How does it differ from the Dominant Social Paradigm (DSP) with respect to ecological and social concerns?
2. What does this study reveal about social workers’ level of environmental concern as compared to the general population?   
3. Based on these findings, what recommendations would you make for strengthening social workers’ understanding of environmental issues and commitment to environmental justice?