'Welcome', But Not Here : Unpacking the Extraterritorial Asylum Policies of the United Kingdom and Denmark

Abstract: The right to seek asylum is an integral part of the international protection of refugees. Yet this right is continuously undermined by state-made obstacles such as externalization practices. In the last two years, Denmark and the UK adopted new asylum policies. These policies are emblematic of externalization. Following the historic 2015 Refugee Crisis, states have increased their efforts to limit the numbers of asylum seekers arriving on their territories. Some, like Denmark and the UK adopted extreme efforts to control migration. Drawing from Bacchi’s Policy as Discourse (2000) framework, this study demonstrates that problematizations of asylum seekers and refugees are inherent in the legitimization of restrictive policy changes in Denmark and the UK. It further argues that legitimization of the necessity of restrictive policy changes reinforces the negative perceptions towards asylum seekers, and refugees.