Potocky, M. (1997). Multicultural social work in the United States: a review and critique.
International Social Work. doi:10.1177/002087289704000307
The Human behavior in the social environment focuses on the reciprocity exhibited by
individuals in their social context. The broad social environment inhabited by individuals is
determined by various factors among them the ethnicity, social organization cultures and the
entire society (Potocky, 1997). The understanding and the critical analysis of one’s beliefs are
crucial in minimizing the social oppressions of the minorities diverse from the mainstream
backgrounds. For instance, the Latino population in the United States has been considered the
fastest growing in the recent past. The fact makes it imperative for all the social workers in the
social environment to have a clear understanding and knowledge on the effective ways to handle
them. The interaction helps in avoiding social oppressions and promoting diversity by serving
the population well. An assessment of the levels of acculturation and the examination of the
cultural issues in the social environment is an effective way of handling social work disparities.
Social oppression is high among the ethnic minorities because of the cultural differences.
Multiculturalism directly affects the social environment in a manner that imposes the
issue of cultural competencies to the entire population and the bodies involved in the protection
of the human diversity. It affects the structural changes that define the interactive relationships
between the ethnic populations and specifically among the social workers (Potocky, 1997).
Multiculturalism has come into effect as a result of the growth of minority populations and the
immigration. However, the opponents of the concept of multiculturalism argue that it is not
sustainable because it is a hindrance to social interactions. The point is derived from the respect,
and the support multiculturalism emphasizes on the cultural differences in existence, which is the
determining factor for the success of future social work practice.
SOCIAL STUDIES (HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT) 3
The reading is relevant as it addresses the need for the reorganization of the society
according to the present multi-ethnic structures to cater for the need of all the population
including the minority. Research has offered some relief through system change in the social
work by helping the ethnic minority communities gain status ad voice thereby enhancing their
capacity. The practice of multiculturalism can be emphasized in social work education t promote
diversity. It can also be extended to cover gender and race issues in the social environment to
prevent oppression of the minorities. It makes multiculturalism as one of the key models and
solutions to the challenges related to cultural diversity in the social environment.
Multiculturalism helps in the elimination of marginalization of the ethnic minorities in the
society (Potocky, 1997).
The reading gives an insight of the human behavior in shaping the social work practice.
The emphasis of multiculturalism is crucial in the maintenance of the social solidarity in the
social work practice. It is achieved through understanding and respecting the cultural specifics of
the ethnic minorities in the social environment in order to promote human diversity (Potocky,
1997). Understanding of the culture is crucial in the interpretation of the human behaviors in a
social environment since it is a determinant of the groups’ attitudes and the social work
perception. The emphasis of cultural competencies is important in addressing the future openness
and validation of the population in the social work practice through the respect of one’s
expectations and cultural perceptions. The knowledge about the cultural differences in the social
work practice has a great impact in determining the people’s behavior, attitude and practice.
SOCIAL STUDIES (HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT) 4
References
Potocky, M. (1997). Multicultural social work in the United States: a review and critique.
International Social Work. doi:10.1177/002087289704000307