This study aims to contribute to an understanding of how the credibility of asylum-seekers is being assessed in the UK; how narratives are valued by decision-makers and tribunal judges, how applicants’ credibility is determined, and what issues may be found with this process. I conducted interviews with seven lawyers who represent asylum-seekers, one decision-maker and one retired tribunal judge to establish their perspectives on the assessment of credibility in the UK. I then analysed these results through the theoretical framework of the sociology of law, focusing on the theories of Pierre Bourdieu and Michel Foucault. I firstly examined specific problematic areas in the practice of credibility assessment, before going on to explore broader contextual factors which may help to explain such issues. This study found that the greatest problems with credibility assessment in practice were demanding expectations of asylum-seekers and misapplication of the government guidelines on credibility, miscommunications and mistranslations, and a lack of considered reasoning in decision-making. These issues were shown to be driven by five main factors: a culture of disbelief, a lack of resources, information and communication issues, ineffective guidelines and the inherently subjective nature of credibility. The results of this study bring into question the neutrality and efficacy of the current system of credibility assessment in practice and its capacity to protect those fleeing persecution under the 1951 Refugee Convention.

The purpose of this study is to investigate how people with a temporary residence permit are motivated to integrate into a society, though, among other things, language learning, work and studies. On July 20, 2016, a new temporary law was introduced, where instead of a permanent residence permit, a temporary residence permit is granted with requirements to fulfill for extension. The empirical evidence for the study has been collected through semistructured interviews with eight people who, at the time of the interview, had a temporary residence permit. Previous research describes topics related to integration in general ,temporary residence and lastly motivation, and contributes with knowledge to the research topic, where a knowledge gap is their own descriptions of motivation to integrate, as well as motivation to learn the language, work and study with a temporary residence permit. The theoretical framework for the study includes theories about the concepts of integration and motivation, but also Georg Simmel's contribution about the ‘Stranger’ in combination with temporality and mobility. The results show motivation for integration in the form of language learning, studies and work, despite high demands and an uncertain future. A permanent residence permit is for many a purpose for establishing themselves and realizing long-termgoals. / Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur personer med ett tillfälligt uppehållstillstånd motiveras till att integrera sig i ett samhälle, genom bland annat språklärande, arbete ochstudier. Den 20 juli 2016 infördes en ny tillfällig lag, där istället för ett permanent uppehållstillstånd ges ett tillfälligt uppehållstillstånd med krav att uppfylla för förlängning. Empirin för studien har samlats in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med åtta personer som vid tiden intervjun ägde rum, hade tillfälligt uppehållstillstånd. Tidigare forskning redogör ämnen som berör integration i allmänhet, tillfälliga uppehållstillståndet och sist motivation, och bidrar med kunskap till eget forskningsämne, där en kunskapslucka är egna beskrivningar av motivation till att integrera sig, samt motivation till att lära sig språket, arbeta och studera med ett tillfälligt uppehållstillstånd. Den teoretiska ramen för studien innefattar teorier om begreppen integration och motivation, men även Georg Simmels bidrag om ‘Främlingen’ i kombination med temporalitet och mobilitet. Resultatet visar på motivation till integration i form av språklärande, studier och arbete, trots höga krav och en osäker framtid. Ett permanent uppehållstillstånd är för flera ett ändamål till att etablera sig och förverkliga långsiktiga mål.

Die Zahl der Flüchtlinge, die in Deutschland Schutz suchen bzw. Asyl beantragen, ist in den Jahren 2014, 2015 und 2016 aufgrund der zunehmenden Konflikte, insbesondere in den Krisenherden des Nahen und Mittleren Ostens, massiv angestiegen. Ein Großteil der Geflüchteten entstammt den Ländern Syrien, Afghanistan und Irak.1 Die Anzahl zukünftiger Flüchtlinge lässt sich aber nur schwer prognostizieren; sie hat sich in der Vergangenheit jährlich erheblich verändert und hängt von vielen verschieden Faktoren ab: In erster Linie davon, wo auf der Welt gerade politische Konflikte (im schlimmsten Fall Kriege) oder wirtschaftliche Krisen entstehen, welche die dort lebenden Menschen dazu bewegen, ihre Heimat zu verlassen, um ihr Leben zu retten oder eine bessere Zukunft für sich und ihre Familien in Europa zu suchen.

This thesis is a close reading of the horror film His House (2020) and has its theoretical base in the works of Sara Ahmed. It focuses on the emotional experience of the film’s lead characters who are South Sudanese asylum seekers in the United Kingdom. The study is set out to chart which emotions the characters feel, which of them are the most overpowering and what does the presence of these emotions imply about the asylum experience. Close reading shows that feelings typically understood as negative are dominant – guilt being particularly present as it is tied to the film’s monster. The thesis argues that the film calls for attention to asylum seekers’ mental health through showing the horrors experienced by the heavily traumatized lead couple. The study also argues that horror fiction is a window to public anxieties, and as such offers a valuable research avenue to ethnic and migration studies as well as social sciences at large.

Governments around the world use immigration detention to detain and deport irregular immigrants, which negatively affects their health. The aim of this thesis was to explore, describe and identify factors that could mitigate the effect of immigration detention on the health of detainees. This was a mixed method study using qualitative methods (Papers I and II), quantitative methods (Paper III) and descriptive case comparison (Paper IV) comparing the Swedish system to the system in the Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg). The study design was strengthened by triangulation of methods and data sources. Detainees experienced lack of control over their own lives due to lack of information in a language they can understand, inadequate responses from detention staff and restrictions within detention centers further limiting their liberty. Duration of detention was negatively associated with satisfaction of services provided in detention and the detainees’ Quality of Life (QOL). Detainees had low QOL domain scores with the psychological domain having the lowest score (41.9/100). The most significant factor positively associated with the QOL of detainees was the support received from detention staff. A sense of fear was present among detainees and staff. Detainees’ fear was due to their inadequate interaction with authorities, perceiving it as threatening, and due to their worry of facing repercussions of being involved in incidents caused by others. The potential for physical threat from detainees created a sense of fear among the staff. The detention staff expressed the need for more support to manage their emotional dilemma and role conflict of being a civil servant, simultaneously enabling the deportation process while providing humane care to detainees as fellow human beings. Detention centers in the Benelux countries had more categories of staff providing different services to detainees. Compared to the Benelux countries, healthcare services at the Swedish detention centers were limited. Detainees were offered no medical screening on arrival and no regular access to mental healthcare professionals. Detaining authorities have the obligation to safeguard the health of detainees. Challenges faced by the detention staff and detainees must be addressed to create a supportive environment and fulfill that obligation.

Background and aim: The number of refugees and unaccompanied children are increasing in Sweden and these people belong to one of the groups that are at higher risk for developing suicidal behavior. At the same time the lack of research on the subject is mentioned several times by different sources. The aim of this study is therefore to investigate suicidal behavior among young refugees between the ages 13 to 18 years in Sweden, from personnel experiences in social services. Method: We have chosen a qualitative approach with seven narrative interviews that each lasted for about one hour and were recorded. The interview guide was semi structured. The respondents in this study consist of one student counselor, workers from two child psychiatry departments and four different residential care homes for unaccompanied children and young persons. Results and conclusions: The respondents had the understanding that young refugees have been through a lot, lost their families and experienced difficult traumas and a tough refuge. The result from the collected data showed that the personnel thought the cause of the suicidal behavior is the long wait during the asylum process, the trauma they have experienced and lack of social networks. Suicidal behaviors among the young refugees were often thoughts and suicide attempts with pills, through self-starving, hanging, or cutting themselves. We have noticed an opinion that a connection between being a refugee and suicide is possible and that a shorter asylum process might help reduce the suicidal behavior among young refugees. / Bakgrund och syfte: Antalet flyktingar och ensamkommande barn ökar i Sverige och dessa människor tillhör en av de grupper som löper större risk att utveckla självmordsbeteende. Samtidigt nämns bristen på forskning inom ämnet av olika källor. Syftet med denna studie är därför att undersöka självmordsbeteende bland unga flyktingar i åldern 13 och 18 år i Sverige, från personals upplevelser i sociala verksamheter. Metod: Vi har valt en kvalitativ ansats med sju narrativa intervjuer, ungefär en timme långa vardera och bandinspelade med diktafon. Intervjuguiden var semistrukturerad. Respondenterna i denna studie utgörs av en kurator, personal från två avdelningar inom barnpsykiatrin (BUP) och fyra olika hem för vård eller boende (HVB-hem) för ensamkommande barn och ungdomar. Resultat och slutsatser: Intervjupersonerna hade uppfattningen att unga flyktingar har gått igenom mycket, förlorat sina familjer och erfarit svåra trauman och en besvärlig flykt till Sverige. Resultatet från insamlad data visade att personalen trodde att orsaken till självmordsbeteende är den långa väntan under asylprocessen, det trauma som de har upplevt och brist på socialt nätverk. Självmordsbeteende bland unga flyktingar var ofta tankar och självmordsförsök genom tabletter, självsvält, hängning eller genom att skära sig. Vi har uppmärksammat respondenters åsikter om att en koppling mellan självmord och att vara flykting är möjlig och att en kortare asylprocess kan bidra till att minska självmordsbeteende bland unga flyktingar.

Magistro baigiamajame darbe yra tiriama, ar Lietuva į savo nacionalinius teisės aktus yra pilnai perkėlusi Priėmimo sąlygų direktyvos nuostatas, ir vertinama, ar yra daromi Priėmimo sąlygų direktyvos pažeidimai praktikoje. Dėl savo ypatingos svarbos detaliai analizuojamos prieglobsčio prašytojų teisė į materialines priėmimo sąlygas ir teisė į darbą. Prieglobsčio prašytojų materialinės priėmimo sąlygos ir užimtumas tiriami tarptautiniu, Europos regiono ir Lietuvos lygmenimis. Nustatyta, kad neatitinkančios Priėmimo sąlygų direktyvos standartų materialinės priėmimo sąlygos gali lemti EŽTK pažeidimus, pavyzdžiui, po EŽTT priimto pilotinio sprendimo M.S.S. prieš Belgiją ir Graikiją byloje valstybės, taikydamos Dublino II reglamentą, nesiunčia prieglobsčio prašytojų į tas šalis, kuriose jiems gresia netinkamas elgesys, prilyginamas kankinimui, nežmoniškam ar žeminančiam jų orumą elgesiui. Europos Komisija Lietuvos materialines priėmimo sąlygas gretina su Graikija ir pasisako, kad jos yra itin žemo lygio. Iš to kylančios praktinės problemos pažeidžia Priėmimo sąlygų direktyvą. Ištirtos literatūros ir teisės aktų pagrindu yra atskleidžiama prieglobsčio prašytojų užimtumo problematika. Europos Sąjungos valstybės narės Priėmimo sąlygų direktyvos nuostatas yra perkėlusios į savo nacionalinius teisės aktus teoriškai, bet savo įgyvendinimo praktikoje daro pažeidimus. Lietuva – vienintelė valstybė, kuri apskritai nėra jokiu teisės aktu reglamentavusi prieglobsčio prašytojų teisės į... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim of this work is to analyse if Lithuania has fully transposed the provisions of the Reception Conditions’ Directive into its national law and to assess whether any violations of the Directive occur in Lithuanian‘s practice. Due to its special importance the particular attention is given to the detailed analyses of the asylum seekers‘ right to material reception conditions and the right to work. The material reception conditions and employment are being examined from the international, European and Lithuanian perspective. The analysis shows that the provision of material reception conditions contradicting to the provisions of the Reception Conditions’ Directive can lead to the violations of ECHR. This could be illustrated by the final pilot ECHR decision in M.S.S. v. Belgium and Greece case where Member States applying Dublin II Regulation do not send asylum seekers to such countries where there is a risk of them facing inappropriate behaviour comparable to torture, inhumane or degrading treatment. It is noted that with regard to the asylum seekers‘ material reception conditions the European Commission equates Lithuania to Greece and proclaims conditions as being of a very low level. The practical problems arising from this situation violate the Directive. By evaluating doctrinal works and the legislation the work reveals the problems regarding the asylum seekers’ access to the labour market. Even though Member States of the European Union are transposing the... [to full text]

Turkey has been among a limited number of states that signed the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and adopted the geographical limitation / furthermore, among a very few number of states that still maintains this limitation. The aim of this thesis is to analyze the significance of geographical limitation and what has brought the changes to Turkish asylum policies in respect of this reservation. Turkey is expected to abolish the geographical limitation during the European Union harmonization process. In this thesis furthermore, the role of the European Union within this process will be put forward.

Background Over one million asylum seekers were registered in Germany in 2016, most from Syria and Afghanistan. The Refugee Convention guarantees access to healthcare, however delivery mechanisms remain heterogeneous. There is an urgent need for more data describing the health conditions of asylum seekers to guide best practices for healthcare delivery. In this study, we describe the state of health of asylum seekers presenting to a multi-specialty primary care refugee clinic. Methods Demographic and medical diagnosis data were extracted from the electronic medical records of patients seen at the ambulatory refugee clinic in Dresden, Germany between 15 September 2015 and 31 December 2016. Data were de-identified and analyzed using Stata version 14.0. Results Two-thousand-seven-hundred and fifty-three individual patients were seen in the clinic. Of these, 2232 (81.1%) were insured by the state indicating arrival within the last 3 months. The median age was 25, interquartile range 16–34. Only 786 (28.6%) were female, while 1967 (71.5%) were male. The most frequent diagnoses were respiratory (17.4%), followed by miscellaneous symptoms and otherwise not classified ailments (R series, 14.1%), infection (10.8%), musculoskeletal or connective tissue (9.3%), gastrointestinal (6.8%), injury (5.9%), and mental or behavioral (5.1%) categories. Conclusions This study illustrates the diverse medical conditions that affect the asylum seeker population. Asylum seekers in our study group did not have a high burden of communicable diseases, however several warranted additional screening and treatment, including for tuberculosis and scabies. Respiratory illnesses were more common amongst newly arrived refugees. Trauma-related mental health disorders comprised half of mental health diagnoses.

This paper focuses on the Swedish migration discourse and investigates if and to what extent it is dominated by a security perspective. Analysing a number of official texts and documents I want to show how the discourse describes migrants and what implications this carries with it for the migrants and for the Swedish migration politics. Through discourse analysis I have analysed whose security that is prioritised, the Swedish or the refugees, who is the refugee and the asylum seeker, and who is the illegal migrant in the Swedish official migration discourse. As a theoretical frame for the analysis I have used theories on migration and security. These include theories on the securitisation of politics, the globalisation and the creation of political identity from the nation state perspective and theories on the connection between migration and security. My results show that a security discourse is dominating the Swedish official migration discourse and is therefore defining our reality and the identities of refugees, asylum seekers and illegal migrants. Migration is in this discourse seen from a national security perspective where migrants in different ways are perceived as threats to Sweden. The perhaps main and most surprising find is the way that the migrants are described as part of the reason why generous refugee politics are not possible, and also indirectly why the public support of the right to seek asylum should decrease. I have found that several of the theories on migration and security are important to be able to understand and analyse the Swedish official migration discourse.