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Governing Through Ignorance : Swedish Authorities’ Treatment of Detained and Non-deported Migrants during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Lindberg, Annika ; Lundberg, Anna LU ; Rundqvist, Elisabet and Häythiö, Sofia (2022) In Feminist Legal Studies 30(3). p.309-329
Abstract

Tensions between migration enforcement and migrants’ health and rights have gained renewed urgency during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article critically analyses how the pandemic has affected detained and deportable people in Sweden. Building on an activist methodological approach and collaboration, based on a survey conducted inside Swedish detention centres during the pandemic and the authors’ research and activist engagement with migrants who are detained or legally stranded in Sweden, we argue that migration authorities’ inadequate measures to protect detained and deportable people during the pandemic is a case of governance through ignorance enabled by structural racism. The article traces how this ignorance operates on a... (More)

Tensions between migration enforcement and migrants’ health and rights have gained renewed urgency during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article critically analyses how the pandemic has affected detained and deportable people in Sweden. Building on an activist methodological approach and collaboration, based on a survey conducted inside Swedish detention centres during the pandemic and the authors’ research and activist engagement with migrants who are detained or legally stranded in Sweden, we argue that migration authorities’ inadequate measures to protect detained and deportable people during the pandemic is a case of governance through ignorance enabled by structural racism. The article traces how this ignorance operates on a structural, institutional and micro-level, enabling public disregard and political irresponsibility for the harmful effects of migration enforcement. A broader aim of the article is to challenge the structural, societal and epistemic ignorance of the conditions for detained and deportable persons and to contribute to political change.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
COVID-19, Deportation, Ignorance, Migration-related detention, Sweden
in
Feminist Legal Studies
volume
30
issue
3
pages
21 pages
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • pmid:36160700
  • scopus:85138193855
ISSN
0966-3622
DOI
10.1007/s10691-022-09495-5
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3c63903f-84d1-46ea-a5e1-47bcbef223d3
date added to LUP
2022-12-02 10:59:35
date last changed
2024-06-13 14:04:38
@article{3c63903f-84d1-46ea-a5e1-47bcbef223d3,
  abstract     = {{<p>Tensions between migration enforcement and migrants’ health and rights have gained renewed urgency during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article critically analyses how the pandemic has affected detained and deportable people in Sweden. Building on an activist methodological approach and collaboration, based on a survey conducted inside Swedish detention centres during the pandemic and the authors’ research and activist engagement with migrants who are detained or legally stranded in Sweden, we argue that migration authorities’ inadequate measures to protect detained and deportable people during the pandemic is a case of governance through ignorance enabled by structural racism. The article traces how this ignorance operates on a structural, institutional and micro-level, enabling public disregard and political irresponsibility for the harmful effects of migration enforcement. A broader aim of the article is to challenge the structural, societal and epistemic ignorance of the conditions for detained and deportable persons and to contribute to political change.</p>}},
  author       = {{Lindberg, Annika and Lundberg, Anna and Rundqvist, Elisabet and Häythiö, Sofia}},
  issn         = {{0966-3622}},
  keywords     = {{COVID-19; Deportation; Ignorance; Migration-related detention; Sweden}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{11}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{309--329}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Feminist Legal Studies}},
  title        = {{Governing Through Ignorance : Swedish Authorities’ Treatment of Detained and Non-deported Migrants during the COVID-19 Pandemic}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10691-022-09495-5}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10691-022-09495-5}},
  volume       = {{30}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}