An Arab Lecturer, Jewish Students, and Social Work in a Conflict Area

Abstract

Being an Arab lecturer in a Jewish academic institution under fire has challenged me as a professional, a researcher, and a lecturer. Social workers often function in the context of conflicts, but the practice focuses on normative social problems such as domestic violence, poverty, and crime rather than the effects of the conflict on social workers and their clients. In my academic institution, which for years has been in a conflict area and under fire, students are not equipped with relevant knowledge and skills. This article analyzes my personal narrative documented during three of Israel’s wars with the Gaza Strip.