SSW resident faculty members Annemarie Gockel M.S.W., Ph.D., Peggy O'Neill, Ph.D., LCSW, and SSW adjunct and Smith College faculty Nnamdi Pole, Ph.D. were selected as one of the 2022 Best Qualitative Articles published in Families In Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services.
Titled "Social Justice Conversations: Using Critical Dialogue to Unpack Oppressions," editor-in-chief of FIS Cristina Mogro-Wilson, M.S.W., Ph.D. said that their work “discusses timely issues and significantly expands and deepens the body of knowledge in social work…[as well as] as showing originality of thought and sound conceptualization,” also noting that they demonstrated a sophisticated methodology and that the analysis gives clear implications that “add significantly to the professional knowledge base and to social work research and practice.”
Centered on the effectiveness of dialogues and their capacity to develop mutual understanding and challenge oppression, O’Neill, Gockel and Pole piloted a small group program to foster dialogue about racism and other forms of oppression with 100 undergraduates. Their work analyzed 37 group transcripts, and found that the “critical dialogue process helped participants unpack the nature and complexity of oppression, deepen their understanding of privilege and begin to share and challenge the experience of oppression itself. Sharing thoughts, feelings and personal experiences, participants used the critical dialogue process to work together to disrupt oppression in their lives."
O’Neill emphasized Gockel’s attention to detail and commitment to the highest quality in every aspect of their research for this project.
“I am so proud to have worked with her and [I] have benefited greatly as a clinical researcher. It is wonderful to have our hard work and the work of our research team acknowledged!” O’Neill said.
