ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how people seeking asylum in Sweden navigate the challenging and dehumanising ‘asylum game’ controlled by the authorities. The authors introduce the concept of ‘radical hope’, which enables individuals to find meaning and purpose in the present despite an uncertain future. This hope is achieved through actions that foster emotional energy and refuse to be governed by the oppressive system. The chapter examines three specific examples of radical hope: sports, particularly team sports; solidarity acts; and the use of humour, irony, and mocking. These activities create spaces of belonging and shared experience, allowing individuals to reclaim their agency and resist the emotional drain imposed by the asylum process. Engaging in sports provides a sense of control and accomplishment. Acts of solidarity, such as helping other asylum seekers or those experiencing homelessness, offer a sense of purpose and reinforce shared humanity. Finally, humour and laughter provide a temporary escape from hardship, fostering connection and allowing individuals to challenge those in power symbolically. By refusing to play the ‘asylum game’ on the authorities’ terms, these acts of radical hope enable asylum seekers to reassert their humanity and find moments of meaning amidst challenging circumstances.
