Reproductive Justice in Social Work Research

Social work and reproductive justice (RJ) demonstrate notable conceptual and ethics-based similarities. While the RJ framework offers promising opportunities to strengthen social work research design and dissemination, use of this framework in the context of social work research is rarely discussed. The overarching goal of this interactive roundtable is to explore the role of RJ in future social work research agendas. Reproductive justice is a human rights-based framework and social movement that was founded by women of color who were frustrated by the traditional feminist movement's focus on "choice," when their communities lacked the conditions and opportunities needed in order to exercise choice. While RJ is concerned with inequitable access to abortion and contraception, it moves beyond a focus on reproductive health to creating the conditions necessary for individuals to exercise fundamental human rights: having children, not having children, and parenting in safe and healthy communities. Reproductive justice also highlights the importance of dismantling systems of oppression and shifting power to the communities most affected by reproductive oppression. Likewise, the social work code of ethics, specifically the ethical principle of social justice, compels social workers to challenge social injustice. Further, RJ is applicable to a wide array of social work research issues, including the SSWR 2019 conference theme of ending gender-based violence. The purpose of this roundtable is to discuss how social work research can be strengthened by using the RJ framework. This roundtable will consist of four parts: 1) An introduction to the RJ framework and its intersections with social work; 2) Incorporating RJ into research designs; 3) Utilizing the RJ framework in research dissemination and knowledge translation; and 4) An audience-driven discussion about RJ in social work research.Five panelists, each of whom is an established social work scholar who specializes in RJ, will share concrete examples of how their social work research uses and is strengthened by RJ principles. The panel will provide a brief overview of RJ, its historical application in advocacy, policy, and research, and highlight RJ's overlap with social work. Then, panelists will discuss how RJ informs each phase of research planning, including how to integrate the RJ framework into study designs, framing, data collection, and data analysis. The panel will also discuss the benefits of RJ-informed research designs, particularly in relation to community-based and agency-based research partnerships. Panelists will then focus on how social work researchers can use the RJ framework in research dissemination and knowledge translation activities, such as building community-based collaborations, communicating research to non-academic audiences, and translating research findings into policy, intervention, and advocacy efforts. Finally, the roundtable will culminate with an in-depth, audience-driven discussion with opportunities for interactive Q&A and RJ research brainstorming. The final outcome of the roundtable will be for participants to identify at least one concrete way to incorporate reproductive justice into their own scholarship endeavors.