scholarly journals The texture of narrative dilemmas: qualitative study in front-line professionals working with asylum seekers in the UK

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Paaras Abbas ◽  
Martha von Werthern ◽  
Cornelius Katona ◽  
Francesca Brady ◽  
Yeree Woo
Keyword(s):  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Home Office ◽  
International Protection ◽  
Group Settings ◽  
Shame And Guilt ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Past Experiences

Aims and method Asylum seekers are required to narrate past experiences to the UK Home Office, doctors, lawyers and psychologists as part of their claims for international protection. The Home Office often cites perceived inconsistencies in asylum interviews as grounds for refusal of their claims. A number of processes affect asylum seekers' abilities to narrate past experiences fully to the professionals interviewing them. The dilemmas around disclosure that asylum seekers face have received little attention to date. This work aims to explore the perspectives of UK-based medico-legal report-writing doctors, lawyers and psychologists whose work involves eliciting narratives from asylum seekers on the processes that affect asylum seekers' abilities to disclose sensitive personal information in interview settings. Eighteen professionals participated in semi-structured interviews in individual or focus group settings to discuss, from their perspectives of extensive collective professional experience, the narrative dilemmas experienced by asylum seekers with whom they have worked. Results Professionals identified a number of processes that made disclosure of personal information difficult for asylum seekers. These included asylum seekers' lack of trust towards the professionals conducting the interview, unclear ideas around pertinence of information for interviewers, feelings of fear, shame and guilt related to suspicions around collusions between UK and their country-of-origin's authorities, sexual trauma and, occasionally, their own involvement or collusion in crimes against others. Clinical implications Recommendations are made on how to improve the interview environment to encourage disclosure. These have important implications for future research and policy initiatives.

scholarly journals Understanding the experiences of asylum seekers

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 207-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Liebling ◽  
Shani Burke ◽  
Simon Goodman ◽  
Daniel Zasada
Keyword(s):  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Current Debate ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Arranged Marriages ◽  
Home Office ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Difficult Time ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to highlight the key issues of concern for asylum seekers in the UK by focusing on their in depth talk about their experiences, a so far neglected element in the current debate about asylum seeking. Design/methodology/approach – The study involved thematic analysis of asylum seekers’ accounts of their lives in their country of origin, their journeys to the UK and experiences following arrival. Nine participants took part in semi-structured interviews. Findings – Analysis resulted in seven themes; the importance of safety, negative experiences of the Home Office, support, emotional effects, significance of family, hopes for the future and the positive experiences of living in the UK. Research limitations/implications – Asylum seekers largely left their countries of origin to escape conflict, persecution, violence, arranged marriages and rape. They reported safety as a key concern and for this reason they were scared to return home. Practical implications – The research found Asylum seekers have fled traumatic situations and then have a difficult time in the UK. A more compassionate and supportive approach is needed. Policy recommendations are made with the aim of improving service responses. Social implications – The research demonstrates that the public understanding of asylum seeking does not match asylum seekers’ experiences and increased knowledge may help to improve this (mis) understanding. Originality/value – There is currently a lack of literature and empirical investigation of this subject area, so this research makes a contribution to the field of understanding asylum seekers’ experiences. The paper's focus is original and important combining asylum seekers’ accounts of their experiences following arrival in the UK. This subject is strategically important due to the pressing need to develop holistic and culturally sensitive research, which bridges and informs academia, more sensitive service responses and civil society.

scholarly journals Impact of sexual violence on disclosure during Home Office interviews

2007 ◽  
Vol 191 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana Bögner ◽  
Jane Herlihy ◽  
Chris R. Brewin
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Home Office ◽  
Stress Symptoms ◽  
History Of ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers

BackgroundLate disclosure or nondisclosure during Home Office interviews is commonly cited as a reason to doubt an asylum seeker's credibility, but disclosure may be affected by other factors.AimsTo determine whether and how sexual violence affects asylum seekers' disclosure of personal information during Home Office interviews.MethodTwenty-seven refugees and asylum seekers were interviewed using semi-structured interviews and self-report measures.ResultsThe majority of participants reported difficulties in disclosing. Those with a history of sexual violence reported more difficulties in disclosing personal information during Home Office interviews, were more likely to dissociate during these interviews and scored significantly higher on measures of posttraumatic stress symptoms and shame than those with a history of non-sexual violence.ConclusionsThe results indicate the importance of shame, dissociation and psychopathology in disclosure and support the need for immigration procedures sensitive to these issues. Judgments that late disclosure is indicative of a fabricated asylum claim must take into account the possibility of factors related to sexual violence and the circumstances of the interview process itself.

scholarly journals Identity in transition: an interpretative phenomenological analysis of international humanitarian workers’ experiences of returning home

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilia Marie Wersig ◽  
Kevin Wilson-Smith
Keyword(s):  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Moral Values ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Aid Workers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Work Settings ◽  
Returning Home ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Humanitarian Work

AbstractThis interpretative phenomenological analysis explores aid workers’ understanding of identity and belonging through the transition from working in humanitarian aid to returning home. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants who had returned to the UK after working in recently founded non-governmental organisations in Northern France between 2016 and 2019. Analysis of interview data identified four superordinate themes: (1) shared humanitarian identity, (2) limits and borders, (3) holding on to humanitarian identity and (4) redefining belonging and identity. Aid workers’ belonging in humanitarian work settings is rooted in shared moral values and being able to fulfil a clearly defined role. Upon returning, aid workers struggled to reintegrate, manifesting as denial of having left humanitarian work, re-creation of the social setting and moral demarcation. Participants formed a new sense of belonging through redefining their social in-group. The study sheds light on a previously unexplored area of research, specifically characterised through the closeness of the international humanitarian setting and participants’ homes. Findings suggest organisations can assist aid workers’ re-entry by supporting professional distance in the field, and through opportunities that allow to sustain moral values post-mission. Future research should focus on the role of peer support in the re-entry process and the re-entry experiences of aid workers returning from comparable settings further afield (e.g. Greece).

scholarly journals Living a good life from the perspectives of the Chinese migrants in Scotland

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Caroline Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Minority Group ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Capital Theory ◽  
Reference Points ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Capital Theory ◽  
Chinese Migrants ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Uk

The 2011 Census shows 34,000 Chinese people living in Scotland, making Chinese the second largest minority group residing in Scotland. Among them, the asylum and refugee population continue to be largely invisible in the service delivery in Glasgow, which has been the only dispersal area in Scotland since 1999. Remarkably little research has been carried out on the UK Chinese migrant community in the literature, and this study proposed to fill the gap of finding out the wellbeing of this population. The researcher investigated the factors contributing to the wellbeing of twenty-five Chinese migrants, who are either asylum seekers or refugees in Glasgow as the first stage of a wellbeing study, adopting the concepts from the Wellbeing in Developing Countries framework (White, 2008). The Indicators of Integration (Strang & Ager 2008) and the Social Capital Theory (Putnam 1995) were used as reference points to explore the understanding of well-being and social connections. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to find out the core constructs of wellbeing from the Chinese peoples perspectives and thematic analysis was used in data analysis. The top five themes that emerged were childrens education, employment and financial independence, health care, freedom of speech and association, and support from own ethnic group.

scholarly journals Understanding the lived experience of British non-offending paedophiles

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 71-81
Author(s):  
Harriet Dymond ◽  
Simon Duff
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Sexual Attraction ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Techniques ◽  
The Uk

Purpose Research into paedophilia mainly uses offender samples; thus, little is understood about non-offending paedophiles. The limited body of research has been conducted in North America or Europe whose health and legal systems differ from those in the UK. Using semi-structured interviews, the purpose of this study is to explore the experience of three non-offending British paedophilic males. Design/methodology/approach The interview discussed their paedophilia, refraining from offending and perspectives on treatment initiatives. Data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Findings Three superordinate themes emerged: “paedophilia as more than a sexuality,” “acceptance leads to management” and “barriers to support.” These encapsulated how paedophilia was understood, how accepting one’s sexual attraction is tantamount to well-being and the various obstacles to providing support were discussed. Research limitations/implications Acknowledging the sampling considerations (size and recruitment), the results implicate research into paedophilia. The onset of paedophilia was chronologically associated with typical sexual attraction, and not the result of sexual abuse as some theories suggest. Furthermore, the tenets of attraction to children extending beyond sexual desire were highlighted. Practically, the results influence future research into the area and highlight the dearth in our understanding of diverse behavioural management techniques (i.e. computerised images of children or human-like dolls). Originality/value This paper presents novel insight into the aspects of paedophilia, excluding offensive behaviour and highlights the need for affordable, UK-based services targeted towards people with a paedophilic attraction to manage child sexual abuse preventatively and not reactively.

scholarly journals Evaluating SMEs Growth Strategies: The Case Study of A Medium-sized UK Specialty Chemical Distributor

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 122
Author(s):  
Hendrik Frentzen ◽  
Evripidis Lampadarios
Keyword(s):  
Regulatory Compliance ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Growth Strategies ◽  
Organic Growth ◽  
Compliance Requirements ◽  
Small Business Growth ◽  
Chemical Distribution ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Past Experiences

The UK chemical distribution industry, a well-established, highly fragmented, subject to strong consolidation and significant part of the chemical industry, is a major contributor to the UK economy and employment. The ever increasing regulatory compliance requirements pose a significant challenge to all companies in general but more so to SMEs which have a strong presence in this industry. Even though there has been considerable research in the area of small business growth, best practices for SMEs in the chemical distribution industry are scarce. This is one of the few research papers that address this gap in knowledge in a case study context in the specific industry, arguing that a mix of inorganic and organic growth is the best way to achieve growth. Findings suggest that the strategy depends on the vision of the owner/manager, strategies in place, access to human resources and finance, past experiences, industry characteristics and company structure. Despite the methodological limitations of this study, this can be used as the basis for future research and to inform key stakeholders and policy makers.

Behavioural Analyses of Gambling

1980 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Saunders ◽  
P. E. Wookey
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Royal Commission ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Report ◽  
Home Office ◽  
Specific Approach ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Sociological Approaches ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Factual Data

1978 was marked by the publication of two major reports on gambling, the Royal Commissioners Report (1978) and the Home Office Research Report by Cornish (1978). These are in many senses complementary publications. The Royal Commission presents a wealth of factual data on the various forms of gambling in the UK, and devotes only two pages to the psychology of gambling, in which reference is made to Cornish's report and endorsement given to the conclusion. Cornish offers an extensive and systematic review of psychological and sociological approaches to gambling with an interesting synthesis and suggestions for future research. The present paper is in no way attempting to parallel Cornish's exhaustive treatment of the subject, but rather to argue for and examine a specific approach to the problem of gambling.

scholarly journals Skills for transition: the perspectives of women seeking asylum in Ireland

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dermot O’Callaghan ◽  
Emma O’Riordan ◽  
Yvonne Pennisi
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Community Based Participatory Research ◽  
Population Group ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Transitional Period ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Past Experiences

Purpose Current domestic and international research predominantly examines the past experiences of people seeking asylum and the negative influences such experiences have on health and well-being. However, few studies address the future needs of people seeking asylum, as they transition from Direct Provision. This study aims to address this gap in knowledge by exploring the perspectives of women seeking asylum in Ireland on the skills they think they will need, as they transition from Direct Provision to life in Ireland. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative methodology using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach was used, to collect data collaboratively and sensitively with a vulnerable population group. Convenience sampling was used to recruit six women seeking asylum in Ireland, to participate in focus groups and semi-structured interviews. Data were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings Women seeking asylum identified four themes of skills for doing, skills for being, skills for becoming and skills for belonging that are necessary for life in Ireland after Direct Provision. Barriers and opportunities to develop these skills were documented as sub-themes. The skills identified under these themes and sub-themes included work, education, driving, childcare, social integration, money management, home management, health management and leisure. Originality/value Using participatory methodologies, future research should further explore the skills required for transition from Direct Provision, to continue to raise awareness of the potential for occupational injustice and the role occupational therapists could play in this transitional period.

scholarly journals Evaluating the German Position Towards Asylum Seekers During the 2015 European Refugee Crisis

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (28) ◽  
pp. 18
Author(s):  
Muhammad Ahsan Jamal ◽  
Yue Xie
Keyword(s):  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Refugee Crisis ◽  
General Attitude ◽  
Syrian Crisis ◽  
Policy Shift ◽  
European Refugee Crisis ◽  
Humanitarian Values ◽  
Past Experiences

The refugee crisis that emerged in 2015 was considered to be one of the worst political and humanitarian disasters and the huge influx of immigrants that arrived in Europe caused collective concerns among the receiving countries. The general attitude towards immigrants in Germany has been positive for years but the Syrian crisis prompted the German policies to become more lenient towards the refugees. Therefore, this paper analyzes Germany’s policy shift towards refugees after 2015 and examines the reasons behind the positive stance towards immigrants from the existing literature. The paper discusses the role of different factors ranging from economic, foreign policy considerations, ideological concerns to humanitarian values. In addition, this paper highlights the gaps in the literature and proposes directions for future research to comprehend German policies on immigrants. The research concludes with the findings that humanitarian values and past experiences have played a crucial role in shaping Germany’s refugee policy during the European refugee crisis.

scholarly journals Between City and Nation of Sanctuary: Examining the Political Geographies of Asylum and Hospitality in Wales

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Franz Bernhardt
Keyword(s):  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Nation State ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Archival Material ◽  
Territorial Unit ◽  
State Administration ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Refugees And Asylum Seekers ◽  
First Time ◽  
Critical Literature

In response to what has been called the European ‘refugee crisis’ in 2015, the Welsh Government committed that Wales should become the world’s first Nation of Sanctuary through building a culture of welcome and hospitality. This was an interesting moment given that Wales does not have direct responsibility for British borders. Considering the urban origins of the sanctuary movement, this was also the first-time a (devolved) state administration adopted this vocabulary to frame their relation to refugees and asylum seekers. What might it mean, in practice and in theory, for Wales to declare itself a ‘Nation of Sanctuary’? What are the theoretical and political imaginaries of sanctuary, national identity and hospitality at work in this context? What are their historical precedents? And how do they relate to political responses to the crisis across the UK and Europe? This thesis examines what the idea of a Welsh Nation of Sanctuary means, what it does, and how the discourses and narratives of a ‘Nation of Sanctuary’ provide new ways of revisiting the metaphor of hospitality, and its role in sovereign framings of migration. While the critical literature on migration and the sanctuary movement explored the limits of hospitality as a framing response to the exclusionary politics of asylum, this thesis argues that this national sanctuary discourse is also used to challenge a sovereign nation-state on the expectations of what it entails to ‘be a host’ to refugees and asylum seekers. Drawing on semi-structured interviews, archival material and documents from the Welsh and British government, this thesis argues that this new national sanctuary framing creates a second othering. Here, a subnational or devolved territorial unit creates national self-imaginaries through a politics of differentiation against the sovereign nation-state, with regards to the exclusionary politics of asylum.

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