Reframing the concept of disinformation in social work: The case of a disadvantaged neighbourhood from the Czech Republic

Abstract This article explores how people in disadvantaged neighbourhoods navigate disinformation in everyday life, drawing on concepts from social and affective epistemology. Rather than framing service users as misinformed or irrational, the study highlights how knowledge is constructed through lived experience, emotional trust, and social proximity. The findings show how disinformation is encountered, interpreted, and responded to in everyday life by people living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Situated within an anti-oppressive framework, the article argues for recognizing clients as epistemic agents and engaging critically with the socio-material conditions that shape their access to and interpretation of information. Implications for theory, practice, and research are discussed, including the need to understand disinformation as a socially embedded and emotionally mediated phenomenon. The article positions social work as a crucial site for promoting epistemic justice and supporting people living in disadvantaged neighbourhood in navigating increasingly complex information environments.