Oppositional Value Criteria in the Crossing of Ethno-National and Gendered Boundaries: The Case of Arab Policewomen in Israel

Minority women seeking greater professional opportunities often undertake boundary crossing. However, when entering police service, a profession often considered incompatible with ethno-national and gender expectations, some members of their community’s stigmatise and devalue them. Israel’s Arab policewomen negotiate their terms of belonging while crossing ethno-national boundaries. Based on semi-structured interviews with 27 Arab policewomen, our analysis identified three value criteria constituting their ‘worthy selves’: minority-majority mediation, community care and solidarity work. Extending current theories of boundary crossing, we describe the process of constituting a worthy self, where care for community members becomes central to maintaining ethno-national belonging.