From Homeland to Hopeland: Ethnographic Study of Homeless African Migrants in Denmark
Authors
Green, Nadia ; Kiritharan, Jenitha
Term
4. term
Publication year
2013
Submitted on
2013-12-07
Pages
125
Abstract
Dette speciale bygger på etnografisk materiale om hjemløse migranter fra Ghana, Burkina Faso og Nigeria i Danmark. Formålet er at give indblik i en marginaliseret gruppes livssituation ved at forstå den verden, de bevæger sig i, og de betydninger, de tillægger deres erfaringer og handlinger. Med etnografiske metoder – der handler om at være tæt på menneskers hverdag og lade deres perspektiver sætte rammen – beskriver vi de alternative virkeligheder, de lever i, på deres egne præmisser. Deres situation præges af manglende opholdstilladelse og hjemløshed, hvilket påvirker deres møder med den danske befolkning og politiet. Specialet giver også indsigt i de forhold, der har motiveret deres migration til Europa, herunder Danmark. Analysen undersøger, hvad det betyder for det enkelte menneske at blive ekskluderet og opfattet som en samfundsmæssig belastning. Målet er at nuancere forståelsen af en gruppe, der ofte beskrives som problematisk i en dansk kontekst, og at bidrage til en mere balanceret offentlig debat ved at lade deres stemmer komme til orde.
This thesis presents ethnographic material on homeless migrants from Ghana, Burkina Faso and Nigeria in Denmark. The aim is to understand the life situation of a marginalized group by exploring the world they navigate and the meanings they attach to their experiences and actions. Using ethnographic methods—staying close to people’s everyday lives and letting their perspectives set the terms—we describe the alternative realities they inhabit on their own terms. Their situation is shaped by lacking residence permits and homelessness, which affects their encounters with the Danish public and the police. The thesis also sheds light on the factors that motivated their migration to Europe, including Denmark. The analysis examines what it means for individuals to be excluded and regarded as a burden on society. Our goal is to offer a more nuanced understanding of a group often seen as problematic in a Danish context and to support a more balanced public debate by making their voices heard.
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