In this first episode of a two-part series, guest host Esaa Mohammad Sabti Samarah, PhD, LMSW leads a powerful conversation examining how anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, and anti-Muslim racisms function as distinct yet interconnected systems of harm. Together with scholars and practitioners Dr. Siham Elkassem, Dr. Bryn King, Dr. Nuha Dwaikat-Shaer, and Doctoral Candidate Amilah Baksh, the discussion examines how these forms of racism operate across structural, institutional, and interpersonal levels, and how they are sustained through histories of colonialism, racialization, and political violence.

The episode critically interrogates the social work profession’s response to these realities, confronting the gap between professed values and practiced silence. The panel names this silence as more than inaction: it is complicity reinforced by selective empathy, professional caution, and institutional pressures that limit meaningful engagement with Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim suffering.

Listeners are invited to reflect on how racism is produced and maintained within professional spaces, and how social work education and practice can either reproduce harm or become a site of resistance and transformation. Part I lays the foundation by naming the problem clearly and setting the stage for a deeper examination in Part II, Beyond Neutrality: Confronting Silence, Resistance, and a Call to Action. The second episode deepens the conversation by examining neutrality, dissent, and professional responsibility, with particular attention to the impact on youth and affected communities.

This episode is essential listening for anyone committed to racial justice, human rights, and accountability within social work and allied professions.

#AntiRacism #PalestinianRights #AntiMuslimRacism #AntiPalistinianRacism #AntiArabRacism #ArabAndMuslimVoices #SocialWorkJustice #ColonialismAndResistance

Links to Published Works

Elkassem, S. (2024). Beyond Hate: Confronting Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Racism in Social Work. Intersectionalities, 12(1), 1-29.

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