The Language of Asylum

Steve Kirkwood is a Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Edinburgh, UK. His research relates to justice and identity, including criminal justice and the experiences of asylum-seekers. He has published in several international journals, including the Journal of Refugee Studies and the British Journal of Social Psychology.

Simon Goodman is a Research Fellow at Coventry University, UK, where he was previously a Senior Lecturer. His research applies discursive psychology to a range of issues including asylum seeking, prejudice and racism, the far right and income inequality. He has published widely on discourse about and by asylum-seekers.

Chris McVittie is Professor of Social Psychology at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, UK. He has published widely on topics relating to discourse and identities and is co-author (with Andy McKinlay) of Social Psychology and Discourse (2008) and Identities in Context: Individuals and Discourse in Action (2011).

Andy McKinlay is Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Edinburgh, UK. His research interests lie in the areas of identity and discourse and he is co-author (with Chris McVittie) of Social Psychology and Discourse (2008) and Identities in Context: Individuals and Discourse in Action (2011).

The early part of the 21st century has been marked by widespread social upheaval and geographical displacement of people. This book examines how refugees, asylum-seekers, locals and professional refugee workers make sense of asylum and refuge in the context of current UK asylum policies.