“I Live in Agony”: the Everyday Insecurity of Rejected Somali Asylum-seekers in Finland

Abstract

Finland, like other countries in Europe, has recently implemented restrictive asylum policies intended to deter asylum-seekers. This article uses the concept of everyday insecurity to study the effects of these policies on the lives of rejected asylum-seekers from Somalia in Finland. Material for this article is primarily drawn from in-depth individual interviews with people whose asylum claims have been rejected by the Finnish authorities. It is also informed by participatory observations and informal discussions with community leaders and activists. The article argues that new restrictive asylum policies create everyday insecurity for rejected asylum-seekers in several ways, including by denying them access to entitlements. These policies also cause rejected asylum-seekers to feel powerless when dealing with actors such as politicians, bureaucrats, employers, lawyers, social workers, health service providers, and their peers. They may also feel unable to help themselves or their loved ones. These policies also subject rejected asylum-seekers to extreme forms of exploitation in the labor market and other domains.