The University of Utah College of Social Work
presents a Grand Challenges in Social Work Lecture Series Event:
Moral Courage in Times of Political Division
and Challenges to Social Justice:
Uplifting Strategies for Social Workers
Who Want to “Do the Right Thing”
Free Webinar with 1.5 Endorsed Ethics CEUs
Date: Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM (MT)
Location: Online via Zoom Webinar
Overview
Social work is a value-based profession in which practitioners promote ideals such as respect for the dignity and worth for all people, access to services, and social justice. In some instances, doing the right thing in practice may be challenging due to pressures from laws, agency policies, supervisors, colleagues, clients, political actors, or others. Acting ethically may be particularly challenging during these times of political divisiveness, increased incidents of hatred and discrimination toward certain populations, and laws that restrict access to services that may be medically, psychologically, and socially important to the individuals, groups, and communities that social workers serve. This presentation examines the virtue of moral courage in social work practice, the capacity to uphold ethical principles even when doing so involves personal or professional risk.
Participants will explore common ethical dilemmas that test moral courage, strategies
for thoughtful ethical decision-making, and practical approaches for advocating for
clients or social causes while maintaining professional integrity. The presentation
will offer concrete tools for strengthening moral courage, doing the right thing despite
countervailing pressures, and developing strategies for doing the right thing even
when there may be risks to doing so. Participants will have opportunities to share
comments throughout the session and ask questions during the final 20 minutes of the
session.
About Presenter
Allan E. Barsky, JD, MSW, PhD, is a Professor at the Sandler School of Social Work at Florida Atlantic University. He is a former Chair of the National Ethics Committee of the National Association of Social Workers. Dr. Barsky is a leading scholar and practitioner in the fields of social work education, conflict resolution, and ethics. A passionate advocate for social justice, Dr. Barsky has advanced equality and inclusion for LGBTQ+ people and other marginalized groups throughout his career. He has volunteered with the Refugee Assistance Alliance, supporting Afghan refugees resettling in Florida. He has been a strong advocate for academic freedom, including a national conversation on academic freedom which he facilitated for the Council on Social Work Education in 2025. The CSWE awarded Dr. Barsky with a “Lifetime Achievement Award in Social Work Education” at their 2025 conference.
CEU Information
For those seeking professional development, 1.5 Ethics CEUs will be issued upon successful completion of a short quiz. Following the webinar, a link to the quiz will be sent to the email address provided during registration. Please note, to receive the recording and CEU quiz links from the webinar, registration is required.
Registration