About the editors: Lola M. Butler is an assistant professor of the School of Social Work at Southwest Missouri State University. Butler received her PhD and MSW from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Her scholarship focuses on human diversity, particularly African American women; family; and social policy.
Diane Elliott is an instructor at Southwest Missouri State University. She received her MSSA degree from the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Elliott’s scholarship emphasis is health promotion, community organization, family health, and diversity.
John Gunther is director of the School of Social Work at Southwest Missouri State University. His book publications include: A Professional Guide to Understanding Gay and lesbian Domestic Violence (Mellen, 2000); Total Quality Management in Human Service Organizations and Making TQM Work in Human Service Organizations. He received his PhD from Tulane University
2001 0-7734-7334-3 Provides a comprehensive portrayal of the most vulnerable and disenfranchised groups in society. The book explores racial and ethnic minorities, children, gays and lesbians, women, people with disabilities, religious minorities, poverty, the elderly, and death and dying. The study integrates and dissects the complexity associated with understanding underlying causes and conditions that hinder populations at risk from attaining mainstream access. The text provides multiformity in strategies that can assist social workers in altering social outcomes, promoting a pivotal active emphasis on advocacy, empowerment, and social change.