Social work with young women in security emergencies: An autoethnography of epistemic resistance

Abstract

In this article, I reflect on my practice as a social worker with young Jewish and Arab Bedouin women from marginalized groups in Israel during security emergencies. I use the autoethnography of a reflective story from a program for girls and young women in which I was working at the start of Operation Cast Lead (December 27, 2008–January 18, 2009) in Israel. I discuss epistemic injustice and epistemic resistance as they concern girls who are coping with conditions of distress, and relate to the complexities involved in social work with them.