A Socio-Legal Study of Freedom of Religion or Belief in Asylum Centres: The Legal Consciousness of Street-Level Bureaucrats in Denmark and Sweden

This PhD study investigates the complex landscape of religious freedom within Danish and Swedish asylum centres with a specific focus on the interpretation and application of law, including religious freedom laws, by centre employees. The research employs a socio-legal methodology, integrating a multiple case study approach and qualitative semi-structured interviews with 25 employees across various asylum centres in both countries. Aiming to understand the complex interplay between employees’ knowledge, awareness, and attitudes of the law, the influence of organisational and institutional frameworks, as well as societal views on religion and religious freedom, this study presents a previously unexplored noteworthy difference in the legal consciousness of employees, who serve as street-level bureaucrats. This difference becomes evident when examining the employees’ perspectives on religious freedom compared to their views on other areas of law. Generally, when considering law in a broader sense, Danish employees exhibit a tendency to use discretion in assisting asylum seekers, often resisting the law, whereas their Swedish counterparts show less inclination to do so due to reduced autonomy. Intriguingly, in the context of religious freedom, employees from both countries display an alienation from these specific laws, partly attributable to their limited understanding and appreciation of religious freedom. The study underscores the need for regulation and guidelines concerning religious freedom within asylum centre settings in order to help address the challenges associated with religion and religious freedom that have arisen in asylum centres in both countries, as highlighted by media reports and other organisations in recent years.