Discourses of Legitimacy: Refugees in the Danish Asylum System
Author
Gegovski, Enver Viktor
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2024
Abstract
This thesis investigates how self-identification, self-disclosure, and authenticity are framed for LGBTQ+ individuals in Danish asylum cases, focusing on how credibility and narratives are assessed in Refugee Appeal Board decisions. Drawing on queer theory and concepts including homonationalism, the closet, rainbow-splash, and heteronormativity, it applies a discourse analysis of six cases from the Board’s own database, structured by Fairclough’s three-dimensional model. The study situates the Danish asylum process, including the recognition of sexual orientation and gender identity as grounds for persecution under the category of a “particular social group.” The analysis problematizes predetermined expectations of public openness, uniform social belonging, and stereotyped gender expression that may shape credibility assessments of LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. The excerpt indicates that such discourses can narrow the notion of the “genuine” LGBTQ+ refugee, but specific findings from the six cases are not fully detailed here.
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan selvidentifikation, selvafsløring og autenticitet rammesættes for LGBTQ+ personer i danske asylsager, med fokus på, hvordan troværdighed og narrativer vurderes i Flygtningenævnets afgørelser. Med udgangspunkt i queer teori og begreber som homonationalisme, closet-metaforen, rainbow-splash og heteronormativitet anvendes en diskursanalyse af seks sager fra Flygtningenævnets egen database, struktureret efter Faircloughs tredimensionelle model. Studiet sætter den danske asylproces i kontekst, herunder anerkendelsen af seksuel orientering og kønsidentitet som forfølgningsgrund under kategorien “særlig social gruppe”. Analysen problematiserer forudbestemte forventninger om åben offentlig selvafsløring, ensartede sociale tilhørsforhold og stereotype kønsudtryk, som kan påvirke troværdighedsvurderinger af LGBTQ+ asylansøgere. Uddraget peger på, at sådanne diskurser kan indsnævre forståelsen af “den ægte” LGBTQ+ flygtning, men konkrete resultater fra de seks sager er ikke fuldt beskrevet her.
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