ABSTRACT
Underlying xenophobia, anti-immigrant backlash and growing racism is a set of practices known as white fragility (DiAngelo, 2011). After defining these concepts, this chapter will argue that though social work is well-positioned to resist these oppressive forces, more than 30 years of neoliberalism and managerialism means that many social services have few spaces in which to collectively develop social analysis and strategies to address rising social tensions. Analysing two practice vignettes, the chapter identifies ways to critically and reflexively resist white fragility, xenophobia and right-wing populism, and instead claim space for practices aimed at equity and social justice.
