TPC_Journal Digests_Volume_2_Issue_1

Amie A. Manis A R eview of the L iterature on P romoting C ultural C ompetence and S ocial J ustice A gency A mong S tudents and C ounselor T rainees : P iecing the E vidence T ogether to A dvance P edagogy and R esearch TPC Digest This article represents a multi- disciplinary review of the literature on the promotion of multicultural and advocacy competence among students and counselor trainees. The groundwork for exploring the anecdotal and empirical evidence supporting the use and need for research on critical pedagogical strategies is laid with a brief discussion of professional mandates with respect to cultural and advocacy competence. This is followed by a brief overview of critical theory. This paper consists of a review of the existing empirical evidence pointing to the merits of researching critical pedagogical strategies in counselor education. Foci of the review include the concept of fostering critical thinking and awareness of social positions and power among trainees, scaffolding trainees’ examination of the dynamics of privilege and oppression, the role of reflection in training and the role of counselor educators and supervisors in socializing trainees. A b s t r a c t There is a call for research on how to effectively foster cultural competence and a social justice advocacy orientation among counselor trainees. A multi- disciplinary review of the literature reveals a body of anecdotal and empirical evidence in support of the use of pedagogical strategies grounded in critical theory to this end. TPC Journal Volume 2 Issue 1