Although social workers have an ethical and professional mandate to address inequity, theoretical and treatment approaches usually fail to address historical and structural contexts. In opposition, radical social work bridges individual and community practice by acknowledging that macro forces have micro consequences; micro practices are reflective of macro socio-political processes; and, by opposing the socio-structural forces underlying individual problems. By adopting transformative, anti-oppressive frameworks and practices, radical social workers make visible the invisible social-ecological factors that hurt people, including institutionalized white privilege; transform systems to help individuals rather than helping individuals cope with oppressive systems by reinforcing marginalized roles in accordance with inferior treatment; and develop transformative potential in self and others.
Keywords: Critical consciousness; oppression; privilege; transformative potential.