"Knocking on Doors that Never Open": Examining Discourses of Rejected Asylum Seekers from Kosova

Abstract

This qualitative study examined the experiences of rejected asylum seekers from Kosova in order to contribute to the paucity of literature on rejected asylum seekers. Grounded in postcolonial theory and through a Critical Discourse Analysis of interviews with rejected asylum seekers and Kosova’s Repatriation Strategy, the study examined dominant discourses which shape the repatriation process in Kosova. The main findings illustrate the European Union (EU)-Kosova power imbalance and the pervasiveness of the EU as ‘exclusive’ discourse is crucial in shaping experiences of repatriation and the identities of rejected asylum seekers. These findings add to the body of existing repatriation literature and provide important implications for reparation policies as well as social work theory, practice, and education.