ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the profound and lasting impacts of Sweden’s asylum system on project participants, who characterise their extended asylum experiences as a form of protracted imprisonment marked by restricted freedom, constant surveillance, and the persistent threat of deportation. This prolonged state, compounded by separation from loved ones and the denial of their humanity and human rights, leads to severe psychological and somatic distress. Participants describe experiencing depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and physical symptoms such as respiratory issues and fatigue. The authors argue that these psychological and physical manifestations become embodied, shaping the individuals’ self-perception and their interactions with and interpretations of the world around them. The chapter also highlights the erosion of hope due to repeated rejections and bureaucratic obstacles, which intensifies feelings of bitterness, anger, and, in some cases, suicidal ideation. Notably, bitterness and anger are also reframed as potential drivers of resistance against the structural injustices embedded within the asylum system. Additionally, the chapter contextualises suicidal attempts and anticipations within Durkheim’s typology of suicide, ultimately concluding that Sweden’s asylum system inflicts significant emotional and physical harm on people seeking asylum, resulting in enduring suffering even after they obtain residency.
