Cases on Social Issues: For Class Discussion - 2nd Edition

Reviewed by Devon Cozens, Clinical Field Faculty, Metropolitan State University of Denver on 5/20/24

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This selection of case studies was fairly comprehensive, though a little more detail in some might have made them more robust examples. Certain cases felt more well-developed than others and would need to be lightly adapted to be the most useful for my courses. This was potentially the one miss on this resource. That being said, I really appreciated the exploration of ADEI with examples that are outside the typical, including multiple intersectional identities, environmental justice, and a focus on the Indigenous perspective. From a social work lens, there are micro, mezzo, and macro issues addressed in each case study, making them a great tool for students.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I felt this resource was unbiased, accurate, and error-free from what I could tell. The cases were informed by enough data to make them feel trustworthy and realistic.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

I feel that the structure of this text was one of its greatest strengths. I loved the way it was broken into background, scenario, critical events to inspire discussion, discussion, and especially the teaching notes! This was a very easy format to follow and gave great ideas for how to use this as a tool. I could easily plug this into an online course and students would know exactly how to use it, which I appreciate. I don't believe any of these case studies will be obsolete any time soon because even if the data changes, the social issues explored will remain. Any updates needed to make it more relevant in the future (or in another country) would be very easy. Additionally, these cases are written about and from the Canadian perspective, but could either be adapted (minus the first two which can't be changed) to another country easily OR used to explore international (though still Western) social issues.

Clarity rating: 5

Very, very easy to understand and use.

Consistency rating: 5

Another strength of this resource is the consistency in structure and terminology. There is so much consistency that I think someone could use a different social issue case study throughout the year and students would recognize them and know how to use them.

Modularity rating: 5

The consistency of this resource absolutely informs its modularity. Using different parts at different times throughout a semester or year would not be disruptive at all.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Excellent organization! Easy for instructors and students alike.

Interface rating: 4

I didn't love the pictures chosen to accompany the text, but that seems like a relatively small detail. I appreciated the way I could either use the side bar to navigate to different parts of the text OR push a forward or backward arrow to move one page at a time.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I noticed only one typo and it was so insignificant I can't remember where it was!

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

This resource was written by a diverse group of folks with lived experience with the different issues explored. The text reflects that and is inclusive, thorough, and respectful of the different identities. Sometimes the quoted text (usually conversations between two people" felt a little overly offensive, but that was likely to prove a point about how harmful language and micro/macro-agressions about the social issues can be.

For my courses (in a Master of Social Work program) there are probably only two of these cases that I will use, but the formatting of this resource is exceptional and inspires me to create a resource addressed for my audience. I thought the authors made excellent choices about the kinds of issues to explore and really appreciate that they are about macro issues as opposed to individual issues. So glad I read this, can't wait to use one or two in my courses.

Reviewed by Adriana Molina Garzon, Assistant Professor, University of New Mexico on 5/16/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This book consists of short and easy-to-follow cases, focused on the issues of discrimination, equity, inclusion, and social justice, among others. The events are portrayed in a comprehensive, yet simple and realistic way. It´s an excellent source for a stimulating discussion about social issues and it encourages critical thinking, analysis, judgment, and decision-making among the students.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The cases describe facts and events in detail. Some cases need additional background information or supplementary footnotes to understand better the scenarios and their complexities. This, however, can be an opportunity for the students to seek additional contextual information surrounding the facts or the dilemmas.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

Although the cases refer particularly to situations that occur in Canada, they are timeless and refer to issues that apply to various cultural contexts.

Clarity rating: 5

The writing is clear, concise, and easy to read. The terminology is understandable and each case is supplemented with discussion guidelines and questions, notes for teaching strategies, and other reading sources

Consistency rating: 5

The text follows consistent terminology across the different cases presented. Whenever is needed new terminology is sufficiently explained.

Modularity rating: 5

This is the greatest strength of the book. The cases are diverse and can be used for various learning purposes and in various contexts. It is up to the educator to decide on their use, applicability, and analytical approach.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The text is well organized and the overall structure is easy to follow.

Interface rating: 4

The text is accompanied by images that do not necessarily contribute to the discussion. It is an aspect that could be improved in future editions.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I didn't find any grammatical errors on the text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text is sensitive to the issues of gender, race, living conditions, etc. in various contexts. From this perspective, it is inclusive and also promotes discussions around the issues of equity and social justice. Students can learn how better to engage in a conversation and see beyond their own biases.

Very interesting cases of study, well presented and well-suited for class discussions.