Between othering and recognition: in search of transformative practice at the street level

Shachar Timor-Shlevin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Critical social work scholars consider recognition a counterpractice to othering, but, empirical evidence of recognition as a contextualized and feasible challenge to othering in social services is scarce. This gap in the existing literature is significant in light of the operation of conservative and neo-managerial approaches known in the European context to enable othering while hindering critical practices. This article traces the implementation of the Poverty-Aware Paradigm in welfare agencies in Israel to qualitatively analyze the detailed ways in which 25 street-level social caseworkers navigated the tensions between othering and recognition. By showing how recognition operates at the discursive, relational, and institutional levels, the article expands the current articulation of recognition as solely relational. Its portrayal of recognition as posing a potential transformative challenge to othering contributes to its conceptualization as a contextualized challenge to neo-managerialism and to the feasible promotion of practice informed by social justice.

Translated title of the contributionבין האחרה להכרה: החיפוש אחר פרקטיקה טרנספורמטיבית בשירותים החברתיים
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)650-662
Number of pages13
JournalEuropean Journal of Social Work
Volume26
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2023
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Othering
  • critical social work
  • practice
  • recognition
  • resistance

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
  • Sociology and Political Science

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