'He must be very friendly with people'

Jerome Christian Mateo Goger
2017 unpublished
This thesis addresses interpreting in asylum hearings and examines the applicants' perspective. Their perception of their relation with the interpreter and whether they tend to see the interpreter as an ally or rather an opponent are of particular interest. The claims made by Watzlawick et al., highlighting the relationship aspect of communication, serve as a theoretical point of departure. Apart from the applicants' perception of the interpreter in the actual asylum hearing, properties deemed
more » ... mportant for interpreters in asylum hearings in general by the applicants are discussed. In either case, special attention is drawn to the applicants' notion of neutrality. In addition, the thesis examines the applicants' evaluation of the presence or absence of a person of confidence during the hearing and of their own previous knowledge regarding asylum hearings. For this purpose, eight semi-structured qualitative interviews with asylum applicants were conducted. Applying Mayring's structuring content analysis, the relevant assertions are grouped in categories. While the interviewees do not perceive the interpreters as explicitly belonging to one of the parties and make contradictory claims regarding neutrality, the thesis shows that the relationship between the applicant and the interpreter evolving during the asylum hearing is of pivotal importance, thus rejects the current claim for interpreters' neutral behaviour and argues for interpreters' conscious and reflected active involvement in asylum hearings.
doi:10.25365/thesis.48539 fatcat:ewewivh4bzbm7mbdozx4smvela