Doctoral student voices on justice, ethics, and change: A roundtable article on reimagining social work

Abstract

This roundtable article brings together five doctoral students and recent graduates in social work from diverse backgrounds and institutional contexts, united by their involvement in the Canadian Social Work Doctoral Student Network’s annual conference leadership and a shared commitment to social justice. Through collective reflection grounded in their doctoral experiences, the contributors explore the many manifestations of social (in)justice in social work, rethinking its history and practices, critically engaging with academic innovations, and fostering creativity as a means of activism. Responding to three core questions, they engage in a dialogue that surfaces critical tensions, hopes, and calls to action, centering voices often marginalized in the academy. Throughout, they also touch on different manuscripts that are part of this special issue. This discussion offers a transformative perspective on contemporary debates, envisioning what social work can become—and what it must confront—through a relational and justice-oriented lens.