The exclusion of (failed) asylum seekers from housing and home : exclusion and oppositional discourse

Fox-O'Mahony, Lorna and Sweeney, James (2010) The exclusion of (failed) asylum seekers from housing and home : exclusion and oppositional discourse. Journal of Law and Society, 37 (2). pp. 285-314. ISSN 0263-323X

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Abstract

‘Housing’– the practical provision of a roof over one's head – is experienced by users as ‘home’– broadly described as housing plus the experiential elements of dwelling. Conversely, being without housing, commonly described as ‘homelessness’, is experienced not only as an absence of shelter but in the philosophical sense of ‘ontological homelessness’ and alienation from the conditions for well-being. For asylum seekers, these experiences are deliberately and explicitly excluded from official law and policy discourses. This article demonstrates how law and policy is propelled by an ‘official discourse’ based on the denial of housing and the avoidance of ‘home’ attachments, which effectively keeps the asylum seeker in a state of ontological homelessness and alienation. We reflect on this exclusion and consider how a new ‘oppositional discourse’ of housing and home – taking these considerations into account – might impact on the balancing exercise inherent to laws and policies concerning asylum seekers.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Journal of Law and Society
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/3300/3312
Subjects:
?? sociology and political sciencelaw ??
ID Code:
68377
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
25 Jan 2014 00:02
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
15 Jul 2024 14:29