IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/socres/v23y2018i2p289-307.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Exercising ‘Bad Faith’ in the Asylum Policy Arena

Author

Listed:
  • Lynne Poole

    (University of the West of Scotland, UK)

  • Irene Rafanell

    (University of the West of Scotland, UK)

Abstract

This article uses a ‘scoping’ methodology to identify the different ways in which asylum policy and practice fall short of policymakers’ stated aims, are counter-evidential and are inhumane in their effects. It highlights how asylum seekers, commonly constructed as undeserving economic migrants, are impacted by these powerful ‘othering’ narratives, before drawing on a breadth of research evidence to challenge dominant claims and expose the particular weaknesses of the asylum system. In doing so, it asks why, if asylum policy is not informed by the evidence, does not achieve its stated objectives and yet causes suffering for those seeking asylum, such an approach persists. The article then develops the concept of ‘bad faith’ as an exercise of power, in order to theorise the actions of powerful agents in the shaping of asylum policy and practice with reference to hidden collective interests. It contends that the asylum policymaking community, in failing to acknowledge the suffering resulting from the diminishment of asylum seekers into a ‘typified other’, are engaging in an oppressive power operation, concealed by the political narratives underpinning policy reforms from the 1999 Immigration and Asylum Act to the 2016 Immigration Act .

Suggested Citation

  • Lynne Poole & Irene Rafanell, 2018. "Exercising ‘Bad Faith’ in the Asylum Policy Arena," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 23(2), pages 289-307, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:socres:v:23:y:2018:i:2:p:289-307
    DOI: 10.1177/1360780418756400
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1360780418756400
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/1360780418756400?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Anonymous, 1950. "Council of Europe," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 4(3), pages 512-518, August.
    2. Anonymous, 1950. "Council of Europe," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 4(2), pages 333-335, May.
    3. Anonymous, 1950. "Council of Europe," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 4(4), pages 689-694, November.
    4. Anonymous, 1950. "Council of Europe," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 4(1), pages 149-153, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dan Valeriu Voinea, 2015. "The journalists' obligation of protecting the victims of sexual assault," Social Sciences and Education Research Review, Department of Communication, Journalism and Education Sciences, University of Craiova, vol. 2(1), pages 101-109, August.
    2. Titus Corlatean, 2020. "Risks, Discrimination and Opportunities for Education during the Times of COVID-19 Pandemic," Proceedings of the 17th International RAIS Conference, June 1-2, 2020 004tc, Research Association for Interdisciplinary Studies.
    3. Shiro Horiuchi & Nadine Ouellette & Siu Lan Karen Cheung & Jean-Marie Robine, 2013. "Modal age at death: lifespan indicator in the era of longevity extension," Vienna Yearbook of Population Research, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, vol. 11(1), pages 37-69.
    4. Crina Mihaela Verga, 2020. "Pilot Judgments Delivered by the European Court of Human Rights against Romania," Logos Universalitate Mentalitate Educatie Noutate - Sectiunea Stiinte Politice si Studii Europene/ Logos Universality Mentality Education Novelty - Section: Political Sciences and European Studies, Editura Lumen, Department of Economics, vol. 6(2), pages 38-46, December.
    5. Bryony Hoskins & Massimiliano Mascherini, 2009. "Measuring Active Citizenship through the Development of a Composite Indicator," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 90(3), pages 459-488, February.
    6. Joseph Rikhof & Ashley Geerts, 2019. "Protected Groups in Refugee Law and International Law," Laws, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-47, October.
    7. France Meslé & Jacques Vallin, 2017. "The End of East–West Divergence in European Life Expectancies? An Introduction to the Special Issue," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 33(5), pages 615-627, December.
    8. Nathan Clark & Kristoffer Albris, 2020. "In the Interest(s) of Many: Governing Data in Crises," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(4), pages 421-431.
    9. Titus Corlatean, 2020. "International Law and Fundamental Human Rights - Ensuring Accountability for the Downing of Flight MH 17," Proceedings of the 16th International RAIS Conference, March 30-31, 2020 002tc, Research Association for Interdisciplinary Studies.
    10. Alfredo RIZZO, 2018. "The Twofold (Internal And External) Dimension Of European Union’S Migration And Asylum Policies: Recent Cases And Future Scenarios," EURINT, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 5, pages 103-119.
    11. Bil, Mariana & Barna, Marta & Zbarska, Anna, 2021. "Migration and human development in Ukraine: features of interaction and priorities of state regulation," Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, vol. 7(3), September.
    12. Kaltrina Zekolli, 2017. "Open Assessment of Proofs in Litigation," Academicus International Scientific Journal, Entrepreneurship Training Center Albania, issue 15, pages 151-157, January.
    13. Vázquez, María Luisa & Terraza-Núñez, Rebeca & S-Hernández, Silvia & Vargas, Ingrid & Bosch, Lola & González, Andrea & Pequeño, Sandra & Cantos, Raquel & Martínez, Juan Ignacio & López, Luís Andrés, 2013. "Are migrants health policies aimed at improving access to quality healthcare? An analysis of Spanish policies," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(3), pages 236-246.
    14. France Meslé & Jacques Vallin, 2006. "Diverging Trends in Female Old‐Age Mortality: The United States and the Netherlands versus France and Japan," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 32(1), pages 123-145, March.
    15. Paul MacDonnell, 2015. "The European Union's Proposed Equality and Data Protection Rules: An Existential Problem for Insurers?," Economic Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(2), pages 225-239, June.
    16. Vargas Vanesa Madalina & Budz Sonia & Onete Bogdan Cristian, 2021. "The relationship between human resources activities and the general data protection regulation," Proceedings of the International Conference on Business Excellence, Sciendo, vol. 15(1), pages 552-559, December.
    17. Ketevan GOLETIANI & Zurab MUSHKUDIANI & Ekaterine GULUA & Natela JANELIDZE, 2021. "Difficulties in managing diversity in Georgian educational organizations," Access Journal, Access Press Publishing House, vol. 2(2), pages 123-137, May.
    18. Chloë Delcour & Lesley Hustinx, 2015. "Discourses of Roma Anti-Discrimination in Reports on Human Rights Violations," Social Inclusion, Cogitatio Press, vol. 3(5), pages 90-102.
    19. Fanny Janssen & Anthe van den Hende & Joop de Beer & Leo van Wissen, 2016. "Sigma and beta convergence in regional mortality: A case study of the Netherlands," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 35(4), pages 81-116.
    20. Roland Rau & Gabriele Doblhammer & Vladimir Canudas-Romo & Zhang Zhen, 2008. "Cause-of-Death Contributions to Educational Inequalities in Mortality in Austria between 1981/1982 and 1991/1992," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 24(3), pages 265-286, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:socres:v:23:y:2018:i:2:p:289-307. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.