Jack Rothman

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Jack Rothman
Occupation Sociologist

Jack Rothman (born 1927) is an American sociologist and social worker. He is best known for his work in community organizing within the field of social work. He has authored some 25 books and monographs and lectured extensively on social problems and social change. His core interests include poverty, inequality, racism and multicultural relations, mental health, and community participation. [1]

Contents

Professor Rothman is recognized nationally and internationally for “Three Models of Community Organization Practice,” a leading conceptualization of community intervention. [2] This formulation was designated a “Classic Text” by the Journal of Community Development, an Oxford University Press publication. His research and theoretical work have made major conceptual contributions to the field of community organization.

Early life and education

Jack Rothman was born in 1927 in the State of New York. He, as well as his older sister, are the offspring of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe.

Rothman served as a Pharmacist Mate in the U.S. Navy during World War II and under assignment as a Fleet Marine was stationed with the Marine guard at Camp David, which was called Shangri-La at the time. After the war, he obtained his bachelor's degree from City College of New York. [3]

From there, he moved on to acquire a Master's in Social Work degree from the Ohio State University in 1951. [2] Afterwards he returned to New York and gained social work community-based practice experience with neighborhood centers, the New York City Youth Board, and B'nai B'rith Youth Organization. [3] A major project at the Youth Board involved action to curtail the blockbusting tactics of real estate agents in racially changing neighborhoods. In 1960 he earned a PhD from Columbia University, with an emphasis on social psychology. [4] In keeping with his dual interests, Rothman has been a lifetime member of both the American Sociological Association and the National Association of Social Workers.

Career in academia

Professor Rothman's research has centered on community and organizational analysis, including the designing of change in communities and social institutions.

In the early 1960s, Rothman joined Professor Meyer Schwartz at the University of Pittsburgh to implement the first contemporary two-year social work concentration in community organization. [5]

In 1962, Dr. Rothman joined the faculty at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. [1] He, along with his U of M colleagues, designed the most comprehensive community organization curriculum and through his writings influenced the profession to accept social action and political advocacy as a legitimate practice in social work. [2]

During his tenure at Michigan, Dr. Rothman co-authored "Strategies of Community Intervention", originally published in 1974, which is currently in its 7th edition and is the longest standing text in community organization—and possibly in social work generally. [5]

An ardent early opponent of the Vietnam War, Rothman was among the group of Michigan faculty members who in February and March 1965 conceived of and implemented the first ever Teach-in against the war.

In 1984, Rothman left Michigan to take a position at the University of California, Los Angeles. He currently holds the title of Professor Emeritus at the Luskin School of Public Affairs within UCLA. [1]

In 2012, Rothman conducted a survey of the membership of ACOSA (Association for Community Organization and Social Administration), which documented limitations in support for the macro area (community organizing, policy practice, and management of organizations) in the social work field. Subsequently, there was appointed a Special Commission on Macro Practice, with the aim of expanding and strengthening the social intervention arm of the social work profession nationally.

Research

Rothman's early work at the University of Michigan involved an extensive research utilization effort geared to developing an empirical knowledge base for community intervention. His 1974 book, "Planning and Organizing for Social Change: Action Principles from Social Science Research" was based on the retrieval of over 900 empirical studies from multiple disciplines and their synthesis into several hundred generalizations and action guidelines for practitioners and change agents. For this project he developed a unique methodology of qualitative meta-analysis - termed Systematic Research Synthesis, which he has used in a series of subsequent studies.

Rothman employed other methods for bridging research and social intervention. He developed a Social R&D paradigm that parallels the process used in the physical sciences and industry (Social R&D: Research and Development in the Human Services). A form of intervention research, it offers a systematic means for creating tested and user-ready tools for social innovation—for example, means of creating innovative social programs or fostering citizen participation. This work came into being prior to the emergence of evidence-based practice that has influenced academic research in social work and other professions in recent years. See the references for an overview of Rothman’s extensive research studies.

Books

Awards and recognition

Personal life

Jack met his wife, Judy, while they were both attending Ohio State University. They have three children, Amy, Dan, and Josh, and two grandchildren, Andrew and Emily. He is described as a kind and caring person by those who know him well, reflecting in his personal life his broader professional and philosophical values.[ citation needed ]

Rothman is a proponent of social activism and is a supporter of progressive causes, including the Workmen’s Circle and the Democratic Socialists of America. [8] He has written political opinion pieces for a variety of print and electronic media, including The Nation, Social Policy, The Humanist, The Los Angeles Times, and the Huffington Post. [1]

Living in Los Angeles, the mecca of film production, heightened Rothman’s lifelong passion for movies and inspired him to learn more about the film-making industry. [1] This interest culminated with him researching and writing "Hollywood in Wide Angle", published in 2004. [9] The book offers a glance into the film-making process and its sociological implications through interviews with over 30 Hollywood directors. [4]

Dr. Rothman’s aptitude for writing extends beyond his scholarly activities and into his personal life, as he enjoys composing various types of rhymes .[ citation needed ] In addition, he has always had a strong appreciation for wit, and stand-up comedy in particular. While growing up, his comedic idol was Jack Benny .[ citation needed ] Rothman has been quoted as saying, “Humor has always been a core part of my makeup”. [4]

Jack decided to give stand-up comedy a try for himself after retiring from being a full-time professor. He started by enrolling in amateur comedy classes [4] and then performed off-hours at clubs around Los Angeles such as the Comedy Store, The Improv in Hollywood, and the Ice House in Pasadena. [1]

Jack Rothman’s trademark look is not a tweed jacket, as is the stereotype for a college professor, but rather to wear a flat cap on his head. [4]

Related Research Articles

Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work practice draws from liberal arts and STEM areas such as psychology, sociology, health, political science, community development, law, and economics to engage with systems and policies, conduct assessments, develop interventions, and enhance social functioning and responsibility. The ultimate goals of social work include the improvement of people's lives, alleviation of biopsychosocial concerns, empowerment of individuals and communities, and the achievement of social justice.

Community psychology is concerned with the community as the unit of study. This contrasts with most psychology, which focuses on the individual. Community psychology also studies the community as a context for the individuals within it, and the relationships of the individual to communities and society. Community psychologists seek to understand the functioning of the community, including the quality of life of persons within groups, organizations and institutions, communities, and society. They aim to enhance the quality of life through collaborative research and action.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbia University School of Social Work</span> Graduate school of Columbia University

The Columbia University School of Social Work is the graduate school of social work of Columbia University in New York City. It is one of the oldest social work programs in the US, with roots extending back to 1898. It began awarding a Master of Science degree in 1940. As of 2018, it was one of the largest social work schools in the United States, with an enrollment of over 1,000 students.

School social work is a specialized area of social work concerned with the psychosocial functioning of students to promote and maintain their health and well-being while assisting students to access their academic potential. The School Social Work Association of America defines school social workers as "trained mental health professionals who can assist with mental health concerns, behavioral concerns, positive behavioral support, academic, and classroom support, consultation with teachers, parents, and administrators as well as provide individual and group counseling/therapy."

In social work, a caseworker is not a social worker but is employed by a government agency, nonprofit organization, or another group to take on the cases of individuals and provide them with advocacy, information and solutions. Also, in political arenas, caseworkers are employed as a type of legislative staffer by legislators to provide service to their constituents such as dealing with individual or family concerns. A social worker who works as a caseworker obtains social casework education and training naturally through their compulsory degree works. In social work, casework means to engage a client in learning their situation, to build a suitable plan of action, and helping the client to solve their problems through client commitment and use of their own and community resources, the coordinated service is called case management. British MPs and members of the United States Congress often provide constituent services through caseworkers for better use of their allotted funds.

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) is a nonprofit national association in the United States representing more than 2,500 individual members, as well as graduate and undergraduate programs of professional social work education. Founded in 1952, this partnership of educational and professional institutions, social welfare agencies, and private citizens is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the sole accrediting agency for social work education in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Community organization</span> Civil society non-profit operating in a distinct area

Community organization or community based organization refers to organization aimed at making desired improvements to a community's social health, well-being, and overall functioning. Community organization occurs in geographically, psychosocially, culturally, spiritually, and digitally bounded communities.

Community practice also known as mezzo social work is a branch of social work that focuses on larger social systems and social change, and is tied to the history of social work. The field of community practice social work encompasses community organizing and community organization, community building, social planning, human service management, community development, policy analysis, policy advocacy, mediation, electronic advocacy and other larger systems interventions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UCLA Fielding School of Public Health</span> Public health school at the University of California, Los Angeles

The UCLA Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health is the graduate school of public health at UCLA, and is located within the Center for Health Sciences building on UCLA's campus in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The UCLA Fielding School of Public Health has 690 students representing 25 countries, more than 11,000 alumni and 247 faculty, 70 of whom are full-time.

Social work with groups represents a broad domain of direct social work practice. Social workers work with a variety of groups in all settings in which social work is practiced. While some have proposed that social work practice with groups reflects any and all groups within which social workers participate, other definitional parameters have been established. Middleman and Wood (1990) have proposed that for practice to qualify as social work with groups four conditions must be met: the worker should focus attention on helping the group members become a system of mutual aid; the group worker must understand the role of the group process itself as the primary force responsible for individual and collective change; the group worker seeks to enhance group autonomy; the group worker helps the group members experience their groupness upon termination. Middleman and Wood (1990) observe that social group work meets their criteria of social work with groups. They also point out that "given our definition of work with groups, therapy can be the content and can be included also, contingent upon the way in which the group as a whole and groupness are used" in accord with the identified criteria. As long as the criteria are met, structured group work "where the worker is the expert until his knowledge has been imparted to the group" could be regarded as social work with groups as well (Middleman & Wood, 1990,

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is a professional organization of social workers in the United States. NASW has about 120,000 members. The NASW provides guidance, research, up to date information, advocacy, and other resources for its members and for social workers in general. Members of the NASW are also able to obtain malpractice insurance, members-only publications, discounts on other products and services, and continuing education.

Raymond Monsour Scurfield is an American professor emeritus of social work, The University of Southern Mississippi, Gulf Coast. He retired in November, 2021 from private practice. He has continued as the external clinical consultant to the Biloxi VA Vet Center since 2011. He has been recognized for his expertise in war-related and natural disaster Psychological trauma and in meditation. He has published books and articles exploring the effects of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in both combat veterans and disaster survivors, including a trilogy of books about war’s impact. The trilogy’s third installment, War Trauma: Lessons Unlearned from Vietnam to Iraq, was published in October 2006. His three newest books are Scurfield, R.M. & Platoni, K.T. (Eds.). War Trauma & Its Wake. Expanding the Circle of Healing. New York & London: Routledge (2012); Scurfield, R.M. & Platoni, K.T. (Eds).Healing War Trauma. A Handbook of Creative Approaches. New York & London (2013); and Faith-Based and Secular Meditation: Everyday and Posttraumatic Applications. Washington, D.C.: NASW Press (2019)(see review on Amazon.com books).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael D. Knox</span>

Michael D. Knox, is an American educator, psychologist, author, and Anti-war activist, living in Dunedin, Florida. He is an Emeritus Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Mental Health Law and Policy; Affiliate Distinguished Professor, in the Department of Internal Medicine; and Affiliate Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Global Health at the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa, Florida.

David A. Snow is a Distinguished Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Irvine.

Robert Lee Barker is an American psychotherapist, author, editor, and professor of social work. He is most noted as the creator and author of The Social Work Dictionary through its first five editions and has written 20 other textbooks in the fields of family therapy, behavioral dysfunctions, and legal-social issues. He was an early advocate and systematizer for the case management approach to delivering social services, for private practice in social work, and for the emerging field of forensic social work.

Stuart A. Kirk holds the Marjorie Crump Chair in Social Welfare at UCLA and is a former psychiatric social worker. His research interests include mental health issues, particularly the creation and use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Kirk has authored, co-authored and edited many books, including most recently Mad Science: Psychiatric Coercion, Diagnosis, and Drugs (2013). He was former chief editor of the Social Work Research journal.

Social workers employ education as a tool in client and community interactions. These educational exchanges are not always explicit, but are the foundation of how social workers acquire knowledge from their service participants and how they can contribute to information delivery and skill development.

Charles Harold Zastrow is an American social scientist and Professor of Social Work at the George Williams College of the Aurora University, known for his work on the theory and practice of social work.

The political views of American academics began to receive attention in the 1930s, and investigation into faculty political views expanded rapidly after the rise of McCarthyism. Demographic surveys of faculty that began in the 1950s and continue to the present have found higher percentages of liberals than of conservatives, particularly among those who work in the humanities and social sciences. Researchers and pundits disagree about survey methodology and about the interpretations of the findings.

Craig Winston LeCroy is a Communitas Professor of Social Work, School of Social Work at Arizona State University.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Profile of Jack Rothman, Association of Community Organization and Social Administration (ACOSA), https://www.acosa.org/joomla/special-commission/special-commissioners/108-special-commissioners/54-jack-rothman Archived 2015-01-20 at the Wayback Machine (retrieved January 10, 2015).
  2. 1 2 3 4 The Ohio State University College of Social Work, http://csw.osu.edu/alumni-giving/alumni-hall-of-fame-award-recipients/ (retrieved January 10, 2015).
  3. 1 2 Biography of Jack Rothman, Faculty History Project, University of Michigan, http://um2017.org/faculty-history/faculty/jack-rothman/bio (retrieved January 12, 2015).
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 UCLA Spotlight, Published September 1, 2003, http://www.spotlight.ucla.edu/faculty/jack-rothman_soc/ (retrieved on September 22, 2020).
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 The NASW Foundation, https://www.naswfoundation.org/Our-Work/NASW-Social-Workers-Pioneers/NASW-Social-Workers-Pioneers-Listing.aspx?id=489 (retrieved on January 10, 2015).
  6. ↑ Zev Hurwitz, "The Lost Shtetl", May 9, 2017
  7. ↑ "Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) - Jack Rothman". cswe.org. Archived from the original on 2016-04-01. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  8. ↑ KeyWiki profile of Jack Rothman, http://keywiki.org/Jack_Rothman (retrieved on January 10, 2015).
  9. ↑ Hollywood in Wide angle: How Directors View Filmmaking; Jack Rothman; Publisher: Scarecrow Press; ISBN   081085015X ISBN   9780810850156 LCC: PN1993.5 Edition: (alk. paper)
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