The Meaning of Social Justice to Social Work Students in Guangdong, China

Abstract

This article explores how social justice is understood by social work students in China. Through qualitative in-depth interviews, 22 social work students in Guangdong, China, were interviewed. The students’ narrative accounts reveal their perception of social justice as an unfamiliar and distant concept that is difficult to achieve. A strong feeling of powerlessness fills the students’ stories, reflecting their perceived political and social constraints. This article further discusses broader educational and social contexts which have contributed to the students’ understanding of social justice and their feelings of powerlessness. Finally, directions for promoting value-based social work education are suggested.