28 Social Work Practice and Its Historical Traditions 2. Poverty The need for the professional cause and function of social work to be integrated into a unified whole is reinforced as students come to appreciate how endemic poverty is in the United States. The profession’s emphasis on social justice is underscored as students learn about income inequality, deep poverty, and the increased risk of being poor that certain groups—particularly persons of color, women, and the aged—face. 3. Immigration, the Global Economy, and Terrorism At present, the issues of immigration, the global economy, and terrorism have generated much debate and discussion in the United States and around the world. Many social work students will have firsthand experience in their field practicum with providing services to undocumented immigrants, helping clients displaced in their work by technology and the shift to overseas man- ufacturing, and addressing the discrimination experienced by Muslims and others seeking asylum who are presumed to be a terrorist threat. We also discuss the growing threat of domestic terrorism and its roots in the white supremacy and white nationalist movements. 4. Role of the Federal Government We assume that students will have learned about specific social welfare policies and legislation in policy courses. Our focus in this chapter is on the political aspects of the U.S. welfare system and the values upon which it is based, which are paternalistic and reflect the distinction between the deserving and nondeserving poor. We also introduce students to the role of faith-based services and their effects, both intended (enhancing access to services for marginalized groups and their ability to respond to disasters) and unintended (the threat to separation of church and state and the emphasis on morality and immorality). 5. Technological Revolution We briefly introduce students to the impact that increasing reliance on the Internet in general, and social media in particular, has on clients and