Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy
Volume 32, Issue 3, 2016, Pages 182-198

Socio-legal status and experiences of forced labour among asylum seekers and refugees in the UK (Article)

Dwyer P.* , Hodkinson S. , Lewis H. , Waite L.
  • a Department of Social Policy and Social Work, University of York, York, United Kingdom
  • b School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
  • c Department of Sociological Studies, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
  • d School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom

Abstract

Socio-legal status determines the differential rights to residence, work and social welfare that accrue to migrants depending on their particular immigration status. This paper presents analysis of original empirical data generated in qualitative interviews with migrants who had both made a claim for asylum and experienced conditions of forced labour in the UK. Following an outline of the divergent socio-legal statuses assigned to individual migrants within the asylum system, early discussions in the paper offer a summary of key aspects and indicators of forced labour. Subsequent sections highlight the significance of socio-legal status in constructing such migrants as inherently vulnerable to severe exploitation. It is concluded that immigration policy and, more particularly, the differential socio-legal statuses that it structures at various stages of the asylum process, helps to create the conditions in which severe exploitation and forced labour are likely to flourish among asylum seekers and refugees in the UK. © 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Author Keywords

Asylum seekers socio-legal status Refugees Forced labour

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84964687194&doi=10.1080%2f21699763.2016.1175961&partnerID=40&md5=7265a05e7464d20982ef4c7acec70fe0

DOI: 10.1080/21699763.2016.1175961
ISSN: 21699763
Cited by: 8
Original Language: English