Refugees in Denmark: When Temporality is Long Lasting - Sociology

This essay delves into the experiences of refugees in Denmark, focusing on the impact of temporality, particularly in light of the 2019 tightening of Danish immigration laws. The study examines the shift from permanent to temporary permits and analyzes the perspectives of refugees through various sociological frameworks. It explores the theoretical underpinnings of assimilation, social stigma, and social conflict, as well as ethnic competition theories, to understand the complexities of integration, discrimination, and the psychological effects of uncertainty. The research highlights how temporality, as a dominant human aspect, can exacerbate conflict and influence refugees' sense of belonging and well-being. The analysis draws on interviews and theoretical perspectives to provide a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and experiences of asylum seekers in Denmark, contributing to the broader discourse on immigration and refugee integration.

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REFUGEES IN DENMARK: WHEN TEMPORALITY IS LONG LASTING
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THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
Sociologists in particular comprises of long history of interest in patterns of refugee
amalgamation, thus having developed theories of immigration since the birth of the discipline
during the twentieth century. Sociology as a field tends to apply research and theoretical
framework to the new contemporary period of immigration by humanizing former theories and
establishing new ones in order to elucidate immigration developments, which exist in recent
theories. Studies revealed that classical assimilation theory served as chief sociological paradigm
until 1970s and further offered groundwork for the development of future theoretical model
(Morawska 1994). Since they redefine and review classical assimilation perspective in regards to
new conceptualizations in order to enlighten current scenario of immigration and refugees.
However, critical argument indicates shed light on ethnocentric and patronizing demands stating
that the model had been positioned on refugees and minority populations. Clair and Denis (2015)
found that traditional assimilation theory had been long viewed as being unconstructive and
ineffectual in elucidating the perseverance of inequality and conflict amongst and between
diverse population groups. Furthermore, assimilation theoretical framework focus greatly on
different theories, which stimulate immigration and further uphold comprehensive understanding
of social dynamics of ethnicity in Western society.
Sociological theorists tend to examine the connections, which take place between host
societies and influx of immigrant inhabitants to explore the repercussions of these interactions,
which may reflect on one another. Consequently, influences of integration have been viewed as
emerging from two forms of sources such as the proximate or distal. Drawing relevance from
classical assimilation theory, incorporation do not entail single common result for all refugees,
but on the other side has been seen as an incremental procedure taking place across generations

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in varied ways for diverse groups (Leshem 2017). On the other hand, recent period of
immigrants include majorly non-White inhabitants in comparison to mostly White European
immigrant groups who initially settled in the United States in the 1930s. Thus, sociologists have
recognized race and ethnicity as recently developed dynamics in the process of assimilation. On
the contrary, Zhou (1997) argued that further to conventional paths of segmented assimilation,
sociological theorists suggested that there could be seen minority culture of mobility thus
denoting to marginal sections that are included in the mainstream society. Alba and Foner (2017)
undertook Goffman’s social stigma theory and mentioned that Indigenous minority groups living
in mainstream society along White middle class comprises of inclusive knowledge as well as
resources for new immigrant cultural groups. Thus, recently migrated inhabitants experiencing
discrimination and bias from host society tend to embrace one of the marginalized racial cultural
patterns within mainstream society thus permitting other options to traditional middle or upper
class. Consequently, it has been claimed that immigration procedures tend to arise uncertainty
thus causing negative impact on mental health conditions. Moreover, development of mental
health has been intrinsically associated with authorized positions for immigrants. Thus, through
sociological theoretical lens, Tyler and Slater (2018) have found that assimilation of refugees has
been essentially shaped by principal factors such as context of host society along with group
attributes and adaptation of influx of asylum seekers. Furthermore, studies reveal that classical
assimilation framework has offered avenues for profound recognition of influence of individuals
as well as groups shaping their social and physical environments.

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Social Stigma Theoretical Framework
Source: Clair and Denis (2015)
While, there are several instances of stigmatization as well as prejudice against
immigrants, there can be obtained restricted systematic scientific exploration of the forms as well
as sources of stigma along with effect of stigmatization on mental health of marginalized
populace. According to social stigma theory, considering vital component of social
discrimination, sociological theorists have conceptualized ‘stigma’ as communally unwelcome or
objectionable attributes used in order to demarcate group of individuals from typical inhabitants
(Goffman 1997). Studies reveal that few labels have been understood as stigmas when they have
been made such as metal seal of slavery (Morey 2018). On the other hand, majority of labels
have not been regarded as stigmas until they are associated to socially unconstructive attributes.
In the view of Meçe (2017), accommodation practices have been viewed as material insights of

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asylum regulations thus resulting to the explanation of refugee accommodation about physical
space of organizational as well as political actions of authority and supremacy. Such spatial
construct as per studies of Boccagni, Lafleur and Levitt (2016) have been politically developed
for the determination of unravelling the concepts of “own” and “cultural foreigner”; inhabitants
or non-citizens. Furthermore, it is further understood as the space between whereby immigrants
no vital linkages with any of the spaces. Consequently, it has been recognized as a space where
immigrants tend to encounter the supposed connection between homelands, state and residents.
As per the theoretical explanation of stigma, stigmatization against migrants as universal factor
of social as well as communal marginalization has frequently been linked to immoral, less reliant
and criminal association. Studies reveal that perception of sexual violence has been considered as
one of the number of traumas, which has been conceivably comprehended as the outcome of
various apprehensions and torments which immigrants seeking assistance of suffering and
distress in Denmark. Nevertheless, the context of sexually torturous vehemence, which has been
encompassed in notion of stigma and silence. Thus, has been consequential to the rise of outright
exclusion for number of survivors. However, these factors do not imply that other forms of
suffering experienced by asylum seekers do not persuade or stimulate humiliation (Leshem
2017). Moreover, it claims that asylum seekers have not typically been perceived as taboo or
stigmatised, which involves sexually tortured men seeking refuge. On the other hand, studies
reveal that Goffman’s theory of stigma points out to the gap between explanations imposed by
states and global institutions. In addition to self-definitions explained by migrant inhabitants who
many a times have refused to accept the label of ‘asylum seekers’ or ‘refugee’ or have applied it
based on situational demands during any interaction with the ruling classes (Meçe 2017).
Comprehensive studies of Boccagni, Lafleur. and Levitt (2016) mentioned that for many

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refugees, the concept of “exile” demotes greater degree of accuracy along with supreme
connotation. Such degree of distinction between external as well as self-assigned immigrant
labels show imperativeness underlying two important factors. At the first place, it draws
consideration to the way position of asylum seekers tend to be favourable permissible category in
order to seek admittance to territory of the state. However, Goffman (1997) claimed that such
position tends to be unfavourable when identity of refugees tends to experience stigmatization
and hinders the concept of belongingness to specific region. Secondly, many involuntary
immigrants do not want to categorize them as refugees. These factors have led academic scholars
to unravel the social edifice of immigrant oppression in addition to the accounts that states as
well as NGOs propagate in order to depict them as saviours.
Academic scholars posed disagreements that personal revenge has been considered as the
only mean obtainable in order to reinstate justice and honour in domains of subcultures where
the rule of law shows incompetence of depending on criminal justice organization (Carver 1982).
On the other hand, studies mention that culture conflict theory implies that societies constitute of
principles and norms, which show divergence from one culture to the other. These norms have
been essentially conveyed to community members similar to other cultural attributes and failure
to compliance of these norms tends to stimulate communal reaction. Marx (1973) emphasized on
theoretical framework of conflict theory, which shown a propensity to explain the dimensions of
conflict and simplify its resolution in relation to immigration. It has further been argued that
temporality considered as historical understanding, collective memory as well as existential
course of movement has been entrenched in the self-perception of homelands. Moreover, with
its highly rigid construction in elite terms it tends to prompt conflicting situations. Thus, it is
highly essential to simplify its uprising for conflict resolution in order to have its occurrence. At

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this juncture, the analysis of temporality of immigrants in Denmark conflict highpoints the need
to underline idea of temporality as a dominant human aspect which can aggravate or severely
intensify conflict and exaggerate conflict-related trepidations (Gregurović, Kuti and Župarić-Iljić
2016). Furthermore, drawing relevance from social conflict theory it has been understood that
transformative temporariness of asylum-seekers in the form of deconstruction of communally
exclusive modernist national accounts have been recognized as constructive existential
sequential structure. According to Canning (2015), these accounts facilitate both immigrants and
exiles to admit to institutional political explanations and essentially seek essential needs along
with shared requests to be significant part of history. Thus, as per studies of Ehrkamp (2017),
temporariness considered as principal period refers to conflicting parties by further shedding
light on the fact that, proclamation on exclusive return to history indicates a continuance of the
shared misfortune and tragedy. In addition to this, despite of disregarding former injustices or
newly emerged tragedies, the theoretical framework of social conflict suggests way of surpassing
the national temporal narcissism, which attains eternity by discharging or appending the time of
others. Moreover, by drawing relevance from social conflict theory, Tazzioli (2018) have
mentioned that in order to attain the inestimable, it is essential to reject notions of exclusiveness,
cessation and subjugation and further replace the gaps with more systematic ideas of self-
observation, intended in order to issue the self-governing self from its unconscious restraints.
Moreover, transformative temporariness of asylum seekers considered as the form of
deconstruction of an unyielding, permanent and sanctified past that validates a particularistic
present-day tend to develop as a form of director to the path of reconciliation in which one that
would consent communal, non-exclusive presence in history, period and nation.

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Social Conflict Theoretical Framework
Source: Carver (1982)
Former researches analysing the impacts of socio-economic factors mostly manages the
national or comparative transnational level, not shedding light on the approaches and outlooks

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towards refugees in dissimilar regional as well as local contexts. Nevertheless, Boccagni, Lafleur
and Levitt (2016) have pointed out that certain regions constituting higher percentage of
immigrants born outside the EU plus greater unemployment rate amongst the refugee inhabitants
tend to exhibit greater probability implying that refugees articulate negative insolences to the
process of immigration. On the other hand, these nations continually record the highest rates of
job redundancy in the country thus forming a macro socio-economic framework for competition
on individual and group level on jobs, which have been regarded as highly scarce and
unobtainable. At this juncture, Bobo and Hutchings (1996) have mentioned that Ethnic
Competition Theory has elucidated the likely outcomes of opposition on an individual and
contextual level, which showed propensity to give rise to ethnic exclusionism. Such a rise to
cultural exclusionism further sheds light on the way principal group associates with utmost
supremacy tend to develop outlooks as well as perceptions of aggression and antagonism
towards asylum seekers. Schiller (2018) accentuated the Ethnic Competition Theory, which
further suggested that natives would have to contest with new comers due to unavailable
resources such as employment, consequently comprising negative perceptions towards refugees.
Furthermore, within the study of socio-economic perspective, it is important to consider the
vigorous intergroup conflict theory based on the shift towards severely unconstructive attitudes
on immigration rises because of numerous migration flow fluctuations and dynamics in the
joblessness rates of the local inhabitants in the host nations.
Correspondingly, in the milieu of weakening of national economy in addition to elevated
levels of individual socio-economic susceptibility, adverse insolences toward refugees might be
elucidated by theoretical framework of out-group economic competition. Moreover, the idea of
competitive threat which an individual tends to express towards refugees who are considered as

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competitors for diverse and mainly financial and social, resources and compensations, chances
and services. Additionally, as per the cultural hypothesis, the approaches towards different
categories of immigrants who are often associated to supposed threat linked to cultural, racial
and religious background. Moreover, Rechkemmer et al. (2016) found that anti-Muslim
approaches have been influenced by same individual attributes, which shape general xenophobia
while the outcomes point out towards the ethnic as well as religious background of immigrant
populace, Muslim refugees have not been perceived more destructively in comparison to other
immigrants. Conversely, considering particular national framework, societal integration as well
as interpersonal conviction amongst national majority and national marginalization has been
meaningfully lowered due to conflict war massacres as well as post-conflict resentments, even
though with the increase of inter-ethnic detachment. Nevertheless, while if outlooks towards
asylum seekers in mainstream populace tend to develop greater degree of pessimism and
disapproval during humanitarian crisis, it is imperative to explore if these outlooks have been
developing greater degree of positiveness in the local groups where the transfer reception centres
have been sited. Meanwhile, such a case can be supposed for numerous underlying factors
related to the displacement experience of the immigrant population (Ehrkamp 2017). These
reception centres tend to associate with utmost empathy with asylum seekers as well as refugees
thus resulting to monetary gains in support of local groups in the form of temporary engagement
inside transit reception centres, in addition to the transit appeal of refugees who persistently
continue their journey further to EU nations.

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Ethnic Competition Theory
Source: Ehrkamp (2017)
Culture on the other side has been considered as key concept in migration scholarship.
According to Ehrkamp (2017), cultural patterns tend to relate to the products of migration as
cultural illustrations of migration actions or the cultural modifications as well as transformations
occurring when individuals shift from one place to the other. Drawing relevance to the
theoretical framework of social interactionism, location in transnational spaces has exhibited
particular susceptibility in order to encompass “interpretative moments”. On the other hand,
certain insentient understanding tends to get articulated by means of individuals’ sense making
of national boundaries. According to Tazzioli (2018), these instants develop to be highly
noticeable when individuals develop a feeling that representations and outlooks of “gender”
deviation, with the encounter of “ethnicity” in interaction with others or owing to the interaction
of an uncertainty of their status positions in the development of migration. According to social
interactionism, social groupings such as asylum seekers must be realized as an outcome of social
and cultural linkages and not as an acquired entity. Such a notion further sheds light on the
essentiality to pay attention to the rationality of procedures by means of which individuals get

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included in the category of “migrants” which is essentially acquired in interactions with others.
However, these developments tend to have their occurrences in the milieu of international
associations of power, within inadequate or imbalanced “mobility regimes”. Moreover, it has
been noted that intersectional and actor-centred perspective has purposed to seize the range of
avenues and limitations, which individuals encounter within spheres with historically elevated
rates of immigration and developing forms of transnational partisanship (Bobo and Hutchings
1996). Furthermore, it has been assumed to provide more comprehensive representation of the
associations between migration and discrimination, which cannot be specifically analysed in
relations to the substantial aspects of individuals’ communal movement or macro-economic
expansion (Canning 2015). On the other side, theoretical understanding of stigma regarding
temporality of immigrants has not been natural occurrence, but has been seen as a far-reaching
and distressing form of action via cooperative demonstration attached on individuals and places.
Furthermore, immigrant assimilation has not only seen as multi-faceted procedure but as an ever-
evolving one since sociologists develop new theories in order to elucidate the immigration
integration progression.

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