Cultural value conflicts of Arab social work students in Israel: a critical multicultural approach

Abstract

ABSTRACT Social work education in Israel is taking place in a multicultural, multireligious, and multiracial context. However, while social work schools in Israel are likely to discuss culturally sensitive practice, it has not yet become a dominant training perspective, and an advanced multicultural approach has not been given enough consideration in the professional academic socialization process so far. As part of a grounded theory study, this article describes the personal benefits gained and the cultural tensions encountered by thirty Arab social work students undergoing academic socialization in Israeli higher education. The findings underline the complexity of the academic socialization process of Arab students. They emphasize the importance of considering the cultural and political identity of students and of strengthening critical reflexivity and a critical multicultural approach in social work education. Implications for social work education with minority students are discussed.