Exploring the connection between legal consciousness and emotion: a study of fathers in immigration detention

Alexander, Kate (2024) Exploring the connection between legal consciousness and emotion: a study of fathers in immigration detention. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

The UK detains tens of thousands of people a year for immigration purposes, the vast majority of them men, many of whom are fathers, yet little research has focused specifically on their experience. Legal consciousness has been used by previous research as a lens to analyse the experience of people in detention. Scholars in the developing field of law and emotions, have also explored the ways in which emotions are implicated in immigration law.

This study of the experience of fathers in immigration sought to explore the connection between their legal consciousness and the emotions they experienced both because of their detention and as fathers, and as a consequence of both experienced together. In doing so brought together two previously unconnected conceptual fields.

Twelve in-depth interviews were conducted with fathers who were in detention or had been released from detention. Three further interviews were conducted with professionals who worked with people in detention. The fathers were recruited with the assistance of gatekeepers in advocacy and support organisations. Interviews were conducted both face-to-face and by telephone. They were all recorded subsequently fully transcribed. Data was analysed thematically, using a combination of theoretical and inductive approaches.

The findings offer new insights into the experience of fathers in detention, including their understandings of fatherhood and fathering and how these are affected by their detention. Further, the study finds that the emotions fathers experience through their detention are inextricably linked with their legal consciousness in a co-productive relationship.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Subjects: K Law > K Law (General)
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences > School of Law
• Supervisor's Name: Fletcher, Professor Maria and Kay, Professor Rebecca
• Date of Award: 2024
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2024-84427
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 02 Jul 2024 14:01
• Last Modified: 02 Jul 2024 14:01
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.84427
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/84427