Invited Symposium I: Resisting Regression: Safeguarding Social Work Science in the Face of Anti-DEI and Anti-Democratic Initiatives

The wave of anti-DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and anti-democratic initiatives sweeping across our society and higher education institutions represents a significant threat to social work research. The effects of such initiatives on social work can undermine efforts to create inclusive and equitable environments, hinder progress in addressing systemic inequalities, and impede the profession's ability to advocate for marginalized populations. This poses a real and present danger to our long-standing efforts in democratizing and decolonizing social work knowledge. The symposium aims to shed light on recent laws and regulations specifically designed to erode hard-won progress in DEI. Not only do these laws have the potential to adversely impact social work science, but they also pose a serious challenge to our collective vision of a just and equitable society.

The symposium will delve into the following areas:

1. Articulating the Threats: Examining the anti-DEI / anti-democratic movements that threaten the fundamental principles of social work research. This involves assessing the nature and magnitude of the challenge, understanding the motives behind these initiatives, and evaluating their impact on the populations we serve. 2. Implications of Threats: Discussing potential ramifications of these threats on social work researchers and the communities we serve. It will further explore the historic and contemporary impact of these regressive trends on profession of social work. 3. Counter-strategies to Threats: Presenting practical strategies to mitigate the threats posed by these laws. This will encompass a variety of responses, including advocacy, policy interventions, and changes in social work research.