ABSTRACT
Social work has traditionally inhabited the sociological position of seeing private troubles as experienced by individuals as often symptomatic of greater social problems more widely felt. Social work education holds the responsibility for shaping students’ future practice. An important part of this role is to impart a critical perspective on the society in which social workers practice. The intensification of neoliberalism challenges the very core of social work. Most social work education programmes worldwide affiliate to the global definition of social work which places human rights and social justice at the forefront of the values that underpin their curriculum. Social work students are of course influenced by what practices they observe within their education. There are many ways for social work educators to encourage students to find and use their critical voice. Social media are increasingly recognised as providing an excellent platform for social workers to participate in political discussion and activism.
