Introduction

The question of asylum for refugees has been one of the most intractable challenges to the legal systems of Western countries. When the 1967 Protocol removed the dateline of 1 January 1951 the legal effect was to allow resort to the protection of the 1951 Convention to any refugee emerging after that date. Such ‘extra-legal’ factors constantly invade the official legal sphere, which can increasingly be seen as more and more desperate to control their autonomy. The ascent of legal power in the UK context was, however, a slow one and it was not until the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 that a right of appeal was instituted for all rejected asylum seekers. Middle England remains silent on this question and thus tolerates this official lawlessness – perhaps being kept busy with other issues such as the ban on foxhunting. The chapter also presents an overview on the key concepts discussed in this book.