Justin Harty

Dr. Justin S. Harty is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at Arizona State University, specializing in child welfare, fatherhood, and social work history. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago's Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, an MSW with a focus on children and families from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and bachelor's degrees in sociology and philosophy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Harty is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker whose research and practice address critical issues faced by young fathers transitioning out of foster care, father involvement within child welfare systems, and the historical development of father-focused social services.

Dr. Harty’s research interests include the outcomes and preparedness of young fathers aging out of the foster care system, father engagement in child welfare services, and father-related social services in the history of the social work profession. His current research examines ways to better serve fathers in home visiting, child welfare and foster care settings. His dissertation focused on the experiences and needs of young Black fathers in foster care as they leave state care and transition to independent adulthood and early fatherhood.

Dr. Harty is dedicated to social justice, explicitly working to dismantle systemic racism and colonialism within social work. Grounded in Black social work history, his scholarship confronts white supremacy by leveraging African traditions of self-help and mutual aid, empowering both practitioners and marginalized communities to resist oppression. He serves on the leadership team of the Social Welfare History Group, contributing to comprehensive bibliographies on social work responses to significant societal issues, including pandemics and police violence. Dr. Harty also initiated a Legacy Series aimed at recognizing and amplifying the historical contributions of social workers and communities of color.

Dr. Harty's recent historical research highlights the impactful role Black organizations and social movements have played in addressing racism and colonialism within social work, particularly during periods of social and political unrest. Amid national discourse surrounding the legacy of white supremacist symbolism and debates about the removal of colonialist monuments, Dr. Harty advocates for critical self-reflection within the profession. He challenges social work practitioners and educators to critically examine curricula, research methodologies, and intervention practices for the potential perpetuation of white supremacy. Dr. Harty's ongoing efforts seek to foster transformative changes within social work, ensuring an enduring commitment to equity, justice, and antiracist practice.