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Imagination, Hope and the Migrant Journey: Iraqi Asylum Seekers Looking for a Future in Europe
Author(s) -
Koikkalainen Saara,
Kyle David,
Nykänen Tapio
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international migration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.681
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1468-2435
pISSN - 0020-7985
DOI - 10.1111/imig.12647
Subject(s) - refugee , futures contract , seekers , sociology , politics , political science , psychology , law , economics , financial economics
Abstract Europe received an unprecedented number of asylum seekers in 2015. This article examines Iraqi asylum seekers who journeyed through Europe in search of an idealized version of Finland , which they had imagined based on word‐of‐mouth and social media information. Through cognitive migration, the act of pre‐experiencing futures in different locations, Finland was seen to offer both subjective hope of personal growth and advancement and objective hope of safety and physical security. This hope motivated them to embark on a journey of 6,000 kilometers to the European North. Based on interview data and relevant studies, the article concludes that hope of a better, imagined future abroad acts as a powerful magnet for persons with poor prospects in their countries of origin. Hope is a kind of critical emotion strongly shaped by beliefs and real‐time opportunities; and as such, beliefs are notoriously difficult to change. Imagination, therefore, should not be overlooked when planning and implementing migration policies.