The Paradox of Anonymity in Justice: A Palestinian Occupational Therapist’s Response to the AnonymOT Collective
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This response critically examines the AnonymOT Collective’s commentary on occupational therapy’s role in advocating justice for Palestine. Written from the perspective of a Palestinian occupational therapist, it challenges the authors’ use of anonymity, highlighting the contradiction it poses to their call for open discourse. The response critiques the possible exclusion of Palestinian voices, the lack of actionable proposals, and the performative framing of advocacy. It emphasizes the need for transparency, accountability, and the inclusion of lived experiences in justice-oriented efforts. This piece calls for genuine solidarity and meaningful action to support occupational therapists and healthcare workers in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in Palestine.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
References
Amnesty International. (2024, December 5). Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territory: ‘You Feel Like You Are Subhuman’: Israel’s Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza. https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde15/8668/2024/en/
AnonymOT Collective. (2024). Occupational therapists speaking for justice and human rights: From complicit silencing to collective resistance. Aporia, 16(2), 15-26.
Beaumont, P. (2024, March 25). Medical crisis in Gaza hospitals at ‘unimaginable’ level, aid agencies say. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/25/gaza-medical-crisis-hospitals-aid-agencies
Córdoba, A. G. (2020). About new forms of colonization in occupational therapy. Reflections on the Idea of Occupational Justice from a critical-political philosophy perspective. Cadernos Brasileiros de Terapia Ocupacional, 28(4), 1365–1381. https://doi.org/10.4322/2526-8910.ctoARF2175
Emery-Whittington, I., & Te Maro, B. (2018). Decolonising occupation: Causing social change to help our ancestors rest and our descendants thrive. New Zealand Journal of Occupational Therapy, 65(1), 12–19. https://doi.org/10.3316/informit.779745338782955
Euro-Med Human Rights. (2024). Israel’s demolition of educational institutions, cultural objects in Gaza is additional manifestation of genocide. Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor. https://euromedmonitor.org/en/article/6163/Israel%E2%80%99s-demolition-of-educational-institutions,-cultural-objects-in-Gaza-is-additional-manifestation-of-genocide
Gilio-Whitaker, D. (2019). As Long as Grass Grows: The Indigenous Fight for Environmental Justice, from Colonization to Standing Rock. Beacon Press.
Jadallah, C. C. (2024). Positionality, relationality, place, and land: Considerations for ethical research with communities. Qualitative Research, 14687941241246174. https://doi.org/10.1177/14687941241246174
Junior, J. D. L., Rudman, D. L., & Lopes, R. E. (2024). Alliances between social occupational therapy and critical occupational science: Propositions to mobilize social justice. Journal of Occupational Science. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14427591.2024.2374308
Khatib, R., McKee, M., & Yusuf, S. (2024). Concerns regarding Gaza mortality estimates – Authors’ reply. The Lancet, 404(10466), 1928. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01872-5
Leonardo, Z. (2004). The Color of Supremacy: Beyond the discourse of ‘white privilege.’ Educational Philosophy and Theory, 36(2), 137–152. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-5812.2004.00057.x
Minarik, J. D. (2017). Privilege as Privileging: Making the Dynamic and Complex Nature of Privilege and Marginalization Accessible. Journal of Social Work Education, 53(1), 52–65. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2016.1237913
Ramugondo, E. L. (2024). Occupational consciousness: Theorising to dismantle systemic racism and dehumanisation. Journal of Occupational Science, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/14427591.2024.2429681
Shaffer, T. (1979). Advocacy As Moral Discourse. Journal Articles. https://scholarship.law.nd.edu/law_faculty_scholarship/152
Ventres, W., Boelen, C., & Haq, C. (2018). Time for action: Key considerations for implementing social accountability in the education of health professionals. Advances in Health Sciences Education, 23(4), 853–862. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-017-9792-z