Policy to practice: challenging perceptions of Canadian refugee doctrine
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2009
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Abstract
Canadian policy on asylum seekers is accepted by Canadians as gracious, appropriate, and more than fair. Also, this policy is believed to be free of discrimination. These beliefs construct the Canadian master narrative of a country welcome and open to all. This study investigates the extent the master narrative coincides with refugee policy and practice. Critical discourse is utilized to analyze the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). Disjuncture between Canada' s master narrative and policy is revealed. Semistructured interviews with East African asylum seekers were conducted to explore Canada' s master narrative as reflected in practice. Perceived discrimination of the claimant was investigated, with a focus on the Immigration and Refugee Board hearing. Perceived racial and gender discrimination was low. It is revealed that claimants struggle with reconciling their situation(s) due to the power differential between them as individual refugee claimants and the Canadian state, as solidified in the IRPA.
Description
Bibliography: p. 231-263
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Citation
Harrison, E. (2009). Policy to practice: challenging perceptions of Canadian refugee doctrine (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/2800