The “good refugee” ideal: How discourses of deservingness permeate Australia's refugee and asylum seeker narratives

Sal CLARK, Ashleigh HAW, Laurel MCKENZIE

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

While “good refugee” stories have the potential to soften attitudes toward forcibly displaced people, there are hidden implications associated with this construct that must be considered. Based on 60 qualitative interviews with asylum seekers and refugees, this paper examines the ways forced migrants adopt and reproduce “good refugee” discourses that unintentionally position their belonging as contingent upon upholding narrowly defined, and arbitrary, ideals about deservingness. By critically analysing this discourse, we highlight the importance of reconsidering the construction of refugees' deservingness along moral and neoliberal lines and instead present a case for approaches that focus on rights-based, humanitarian grounds for refugee resettlement.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)148-163
Number of pages16
JournalAustralian Journal of Social Issues
Volume59
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2024
Externally publishedYes

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