ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we explore the connections between language and power. We examine the ways in which power relations are constructed and draw on fictional narratives as ways to understand the operation of power in our everyday lives. Epistemic injustice and social constructionism provide a framework for these discussions. We look at the notion of discursive or critical empathy locating our relations with others within a complex cultural and political landscape. In the context of social work, we discuss the ways in which fiction can provide a much more detailed and immediate understanding of how power is shaped socially and how it impacts on us all.
