The myth of transit: the making of a life by asylum seekers and refugees in Indonesia

An increasing number of migrants are living in a state of indefinite 'transit'. In this paper, we report on interviews conducted in 2009 with 59 refugees and asylum seekers in Indonesia and describe how these individuals make a life despite their circumstances. While all participants were...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of ethnic and migration studies 2016-05, Vol.42 (7), p.1135-1152
Main Authors: Sampson, Robyn C., Gifford, Sandra M., Taylor, Savitri
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
asylum seeker
Children
Foreign policy
Indonesia
Insecurity
irregular migration
Migrants
Migration
Political asylum
refugee
Refugees
Security
Transit
Transportation
Uncertainty
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Summary:An increasing number of migrants are living in a state of indefinite 'transit'. In this paper, we report on interviews conducted in 2009 with 59 refugees and asylum seekers in Indonesia and describe how these individuals make a life despite their circumstances. While all participants were deeply affected by their position of uncertainty and insecurity, most sought to transcend these conditions and pursue significant life projects such as getting married, having children, becoming part of the local community, and working towards a better future. The current conceptualisation of transit as life in limbo does not wholly account for such permanent, life-changing experiences. We analyse the reasons why the use of the term 'transit' persists in international policy settings despite its incongruities, arguing that its ongoing political valence overrides its conceptual flaws.
ISSN:1369-183X
1469-9451
DOI:10.1080/1369183X.2015.1130611