Mediated empowerment: Empowerment practices of social workers with refugee women in Germany

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Abstract
Empowerment is a central yet contested concept in social work. This is particularly true in high-control and surveillance contexts, such as social work with refugees. This article critically examines empowerment in social work practice with refugee women in Germany—a setting characterized by complex, bureaucratic asylum systems. Findings show that social workers mediate empowerment through their direct work with individuals aimed at providing basic needs and fostering self-efficacy through strengths-based relationship work. They also support group work and connect individuals to communities. Furthermore, social workers bridge gaps and enable access to services by translating clients’ needs into bureaucratic and legal language and seeking creative solutions within existing systems. Social workers also play a role in influencing bureaucratic processes and expanding the scope of possibilities. Findings highlight how social workers mediate empowerment through interventions that reduce barriers and address powerlessness at the individual, cultural, and structural levels. However, the extent to which these roles can be considered empowering remains contestable. The findings have implications for social work practice, policy, and education, emphasizing that, while ‘mediated intervention’ may offer a useful framework for extremely vulnerable and controlled groups such as refugee women, empowerment must be considered through a critical practice lens.
Funding Information
  • Deutsche Akademische Austausch Dienst (57569396)

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