Jessica Toft

Pronouns: she, her, hers
Associate Professor
Office Hours

By appointment

School of Social Work
Room 279 Peters Hall
1404 Gortner Ave
Saint Paul, MN 55108
612-624-3689
jtoft@umn.edu
Twitter

Areas of interest

I am under contract with Oxford University Press to write a book titled, "Citizenship Social Work" in which I analyze the effects of neoliberalism on the profession and proposes an alternative democratic approach.

Degrees

PhD, Social Work, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
MSW, University of Iowa
BA, Psychology, Grinnell College

Biography

My research examines two sides of the same coin: how neoliberalism works to limit the professional authority of social work, and how social work can and has used democratic ideas and actions to protect and extend professional authority. My work is informed by scholarship from history, political science, sociology, cultural studies, linguistics, and social work, and draws on theories of neoliberalism, democracy, and the sociology of professions. I employ diverse methods to explore questions related to the effects of neoliberalism and democracy on social work theory and practice, including discourse analysis, historical methods, and survey research. I chair the Effects of Neoliberalism on Social Work Practice in Minnesota and am the principal investigator of the Working Conditions of Minnesota Social Workers Survey. I am the former president of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and the current Vice President of the Social Welfare History Group.

Publications

Asterisk (*) indicates student author

Toft, J. (Accepted). Neoliberalism. Encyclopedia of Macro Social Work. Oxford University Press.

Young, A., Goodkind, S., Zelnick, J., Kim, M., Harrell, S., & Toft, J. (2021). #IAmHer: Anjanette Young speaks truth to power: Editorial, Affilia, [posted online February 19, 2021].

Toft, J. & Lightfoot, L. (2020). Speaking of rights and duties: Implying mothers’ citizenship in the U.S. Congressional welfare reform debate. Journal of Policy Practice and Research, 1(4), 178-194. doi: 10.1007/s42972-020-00019-6

Toft, J. (2020). Words of common cause: Social work’s historical democratic discourse. Social Service Review, 94(1), 75-128.

Toft, J. (2020). History matters: Racialized motherhoods and neoliberalism. Social Work, 65(3), 225-234.

Toft, J. & Calhoun*, M. (2020). The unexamined identity: Students’ conservative ideology, perspectives of poverty, and implications for practice. Journal of Social Work Education [Advanced online publication].

Lightfoot, E., & Toft, J. (2019). The Grand Challenges as a macro practice approach for social workers to address societal problems. Social Work Review, 28(4), 11-22.

Ducklow, L.* & Toft, J. (2019). Perspectives from Hmong American Women about the first-generation college student experience in higher education. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work. Advance online publication. doi.org/10.1037/a0028240

Toft, J. & Reierson, L.* (2017). Citizenship social work: A community environmental scan of re-enfranchisement social work supports after felony conviction. Journal of Policy Practice 16(2), 112-132.

Hill, K., Toft, J., Garrett, K., Ferguson, S., & Kuechler, C. (2016). Assessing MSW students’ attitudes, attributions, and responses regarding poverty in a clinical program. Journal of Poverty 20(1), 1-22.

Toft, J. & Hollister, D., & Martin, M. (2013). Welfare reform impacts on Hmong families in Minnesota. Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 22(1), 40-59.

Toft, J. & Hollister, D., & Martin, M. (2013). The influence of paid work, racial-ethnicity, and immigrant status on health care coverage after Welfare Reform in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Social Work in Public Health 28(2), 67-80.

Toft, J. (2010). The political act of public talk: How legislators justified welfare reform. Social Service Review, 84(4), 563 - 596.

Hollister, C.D., Martin, M., Toft, J., & Yeo, J. (2005). Obstacles to welfare-to-work transitions for Somali, Hmong, and Latino immigrants in the United States. Social Development Issues, 27(2), 57-69.

Toft, J. & Abrams, L. (2004). Progressive maternalists and the citizenship status of low-income single mothers. Social Service Review, 78(3), 447-465.

Books in Preparation

Toft, J. (signed contract). Citizenship Social Work. Oxford University Press.

Presentations

Toft, J. & Soffer-Elnekave, R. (2021, June). Scoping review of neoliberalism impacts on social work. Paper presentation proposal for the MACRO United 2021 Conference.

Nashandi, N., Toft, J., & Lightfoot, E. (2021, March). Critical discourse analysis: Teen mothers’ education in Namibia. Poster presentation at the College of Education and Human Development Research Day, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Toft, J., Calhoun, M., & Mendel, J. (2021, January). Impacts of neoliberalism on social work practice: Scoping review of U.S. research. Paper presented at the Society for Social Work and Research, Annual Conference, Virtual.

Nashandi, N., Toft, J., & Lightfoot, E. (2021, January). Critical discourse analysis: Teen mothers’ education in Namibia. Poster presentation at the Society for Social Work Research, Annual Conference, Virtual.

Toft, J. (2020, November). Mothers who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families: A citizenship accounting. Paper presented at the Social Work, White Supremacy, and Racial Justice: Reckoning with Our History, Interrogating our Present, Re-Imagining our Future Symposium. Virtual. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUh2DRnzPNE]

Toft, J., Calhoun, M., & Mendel, J. (2020, November). Impacts of neoliberalism on social work practice: Scoping review of U.S. research. Paper presented at the Annual Program Meeting of Council of Social Work Education, Virtual.

Toft, J. (2020, November). Politicizing NASW Chapters – The Minnesota example. Paper presented at the Annual Program Meeting at the Council of Social Work Education. Annual Program Meeting, Virtual.

Toft, J. & Goodenough, K. (2020, October). Critical public conversations: Politicizing NASW Chapters – The Minnesota example. Presented at the Annual Conference of the National Association of Social Workers, Minnesota Chapter.

Toft, J., Lightfoot, L., Abramovitz, M. & Zelnick, J. (2019, October). CSWE Interactive Workshop Looking forward, looking back: The shift to neoliberalism and social work’s future. Paper presented at the Council of Social Work Education, Annual Program Meeting, Denver, CO.

Toft, J. (2019, October). How they did it: Social reformers' construction of a social responsibility narrative. Paper presented at the Council of Social Work Education, Annual Program Meeting, Denver, CO.

Toft, J. & Calhoun, M. (2019, October). Students’ self-identified political ideology and perspectives regarding poverty: Implications for the classroom. Paper presented at the Council of Social Work Education, Annual Program Meeting, Denver, CO.

Toft, J. & Calhoun, M. (2019, July). Neoliberalism. What is it and why should social workers care? Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the National Association of Social Workers, Minnesota Chapter.

Toft, J., Marsalis, S., Merighi, J., Choy-Brown, M., Calhoun, M., Lightfoot, E., & Renner, L. (2019, June). Impacts of neoliberalism on social work practice in the United States: A literature and scoping review. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of European Association of Schools of Social Work. Madrid, Spain.

Toft, J. (2019, June). Beyond policy analysis: Teaching welfare state, citizenship, and discourse Theories in the social work policy curriculum. Paper presented a the Annual Conference of European Association of Schools of Social Work, Madrid, Spain.

Toft, J. (2015, October). Marshall, Titmuss, Esping-Anderson, and Somers: Four welfare state frameworks of social policy. Paper presented at Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Denver, CO.

Toft, J. (2014, October). Social work’s democratic concern: Alexander’s New Jim Crow. Paper presented at Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting. Tampa Bay, Florida.

Toft, J. & Reierson, L. (2014, June). Social work’s democratic concern: Alexander’s New Jim Crow: Mass incarceration in the age of colorblindness. Paper presented at National Association of Social Workers Minnesota Chapter Conference. St. Paul, Minnesota.

Toft, J. & Bibus, T. (2013, March). Citizenship social work in child welfare administration. Paper presented at Minnesota Social Service Association Annual Conference. Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Toft, J. (2012, October). Citizenship social work: Theory and application in child welfare. Poster Presentation for the Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting in Washington, DC.

Toft, J. & Bibus, T. (2012, August). Citizenship social work in child welfare practice. Paper presented at University of Minnesota Continuing Education Series: CEUs on a Stick.

Toft, J. & Hill, K. (2012, June). Explanations for poverty: Exploring social workers’ perspectives on why people are poor. Paper presented at National Association of Social Workers – Minnesota Chapter Annual Conference, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Toft, J. & Bibus, T. (2012, March). Citizenship social work in child welfare administration. Paper presented at Minnesota Council on Social Work Education Annual Conference. Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Toft, J. (2011, October). Citizenship as a foundation for social work practice. Paper presented at Council on Social Work Education Annual Conference, Atlanta, Georgia.

Garrett. K., Ferguson, S., Hill, K., & Toft, J. (2011, October). Teaching social justice practice in a clinical program: Antecedents and outcomes. Paper presented at Council on Social Work Education Annual Conference, Atlanta, Georgia.

Toft, J., Ferguson, S., Brommel, S., & Kuechler, C. (2010, October). Snapshot of students’ attitudes, attributions, and responses regarding poverty. Paper presented at Council on Social Work Education, San Antonio.

Toft, J. (2009, June). From Obama to Addams: Citizenship as a foundation for social work practice. Paper presented at the National Association of Social Workers, Minnesota Chapter Conference. St. Paul, Minnesota.

Toft, J. (2007, June). Intersection of differing ethical frameworks and complex social issues. Paper presented at Social Work for Social Justice Conference. Strengthening Social Work Practice through the Integration of Catholic Social Teaching. College of St. Catherine, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Hollister, C.D., Toft, J., & Martin, M. (2006, July). An exploratory study of the impacts of welfare reform on the well-being of families and children in the USA. Paper presented at the 2006 Biennial European ICSD Conference on Social Policy and Social Work: Action and Interaction in the Context of Social Development, Warsaw, Poland.

Toft, J. (2006, February). Low-income mothers’ citizenship in the time of welfare reform. Paper presented at the Council for Social Work Education Conference: Social Justice for Social Reform, Chicago, Illinois.

Toft, J. (2006, January). Legislators’ construction of low-income mothers’ citizenship: A discourse and content analysis of the 1996 welfare reform debate. Paper presented at the Society for Social Work and Research, San Antonio, Texas.