International Field Education Through the Lens of Cultural Humility

Abstract

With the challenges facing our society today, it is critical that opportunities be provided for social work students to learn about difference, and how to work effectively with diverse populations. International field education is one important way to provide these opportunities to students in an immersive setting. The Uganda Studies Program provides experiential knowledge in this through a framework of cultural humility. Grounded in educational standards, the author presents considerations, challenges, and learning opportunities within cross-cultural exchanges. Power dynamics embedded in such exchanges are explored, and a challenge is presented to move towards active participation in redressing inequalities through mutually beneficial partnerships. A case is made, and a guide provided for American social work programs to adhere to its ethical mandate and responsibility to decolonize international field education in ways that support indigenous social work, local supervisors, and academicians, while simultaneously providing quality, competency-based student learning outcomes.