Life on Hold? Experiences of Liminality and Personal Development of Asylum-Seekers in Rural, Shrinking Areas of the Netherlands

Abstract

In the Netherlands, asylum-seekers reside in segregated centers called AZCs, where they are subject to a highly regulated living environment with little rights and many restrictions. This places them in between their former life in the country of origin and their future life in the Netherlands. This in-betweenness is also called liminality. While staying in the AZC, there are not many opportunities to develop oneself. As AZCs are often located in rural areas, the restrictions on personal development can even be exacerbated. This research was designed to investigate how the concept of liminality influences the experience of personal development amongst asylum-seekers in rural, shrinking areas of the Netherlands. In doing so, this research sheds light on a currently underrepresented topic, by connecting liminality with meaningful personal development experiences of asylum-seekers. By applying a qualitative research approach that combines in-depth interviewing with participant photography and secondary data analysis, experiences of personal development amongst asylum-seekers (or AZC-residents) are investigated. This thesis clearly shows a contrast in the experience of personal development amongst asylum-seekers, as liminality both constrains and enables asylum-seekers to experience personal development while living in an AZC. A liminal position constrains personal development due to legal restrictions, unavailability of activities and geographical distance, while simultaneously creating space for meaningful practices and reconsideration of life-goals.