Social Closure in Social Work
The Racial Implications of Licensure Requirements
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18060/28621Keywords:
Social work licensure, social work workforce, racial inequity, social closure, staggered difference-in-differencesAbstract
This study empirically examines the extent to which social work licensure has influenced the racial composition of the profession in the United States. through the lens of Max Weber’s theory of social closure. By leveraging the variation in the timing of state-level licensure implementation, it employs a quasi-experimental setting to assess the effects of licensing on minority representation in social work. The research analyzes Decennial Census data from 1930 to 2000 using a staggered difference-in-differences design to investigate the impact of licensure implementation on the proportion of non-white social workers at the county level. The findings suggest that social work licensure has contributed to exclusionary practices, limiting access for racial minorities. Specifically, the implementation of licensure is linked to a statistically significant decline in the proportion of non-white social workers, with an observed decrease of 2 percentage points, that increased to a 9-percentage point decrease over 40 years. These results suggest how licensure requirements may reinforce social closure within the social work profession, perpetuating racial inequities. This study underscores the pressing need to reconsider the licensure framework to foster inclusivity and equity within the field of social work.
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