This chapter is based on a lecture written in a state of emotional turmoil linked to a crisis that occurred in relations between the academic students’ fieldwork training programme, Casework for Social Change, and the social services department where the programme was run. The crisis occurred in 2012, the second year of the student programme. Nadia, who was treated by Ronit, a student in the programme, was evicted from her apartment, in which she had squatted for many years. When the bailiffs came to evict her, she contacted Ronit to request help. The student went to the apartment and tried to contact the social services department and even the mayor in order to repeal the eviction order. The director of the social services department argued that the presence of the student with the woman at the time of the eviction constituted assistance to the woman in contravening the law. Indeed, she was angry that the student, with the backup of her instructor, had approached the mayor's office directly after not managing to reach the social services department by telephone. She argued that the student had violated the rules of the department and she threatened to stop cooperating with the programme.

In retrospect, this event was important in the development of our relations with the social services department and helped us to mark the student programme as a critical programme. The event was woven into the lecture I gave a few weeks later at a conference on social activism and academia. Throughout the first part of the lecture, a home video showing the dog Douby was screened in the background.

Douby joined our family three weeks ago. She is a cheerful dog and about a year old. She wrinkles her forehead and inclines her head to the side in a graceful movement of strained attention when you speak to her. When she is happy, she jumps, with all four feet in the air. She rests her head on us, seemingly wanting to hug rather than requesting to be stroked. She only joined us temporarily because we already have Gurgur and Lola, and we decided we could not keep her. Only temporarily – until we find her a home.