Department of Theology Spring Term 2021 Master’s Thesis in Religion in Peace and Conflict 30 ECTS The Complexity of Conversion Cases A critical and constructive analysis of the management of conversion cases at the Swedish Migration Agency Author: Ida Isaksson Supervisor: Maud M.L. Eriksen Abstract The Swedish Migration Agency has, through the years, received criticism regarding its management and assessments of different cases. One of these critiques has been towards the Agency’s management of asylum seekers claiming to have converted as a refugee claim. Therefore, this thesis aims to strengthen the Agency’s management of these cases. Using the critisism made against the Swedish Migration Agency, I suggested recommendation and amendments to the Agency’s established guidelines. The findings in this thesis showed extensive criticism towards the Agency’s usage of religious knowledge tests to assess the genuineness of a conversion. The critic also argues that the Agency lacks religious understanding and that the Agency should focus on identity, community, and faith in a higher power. The analysis presented a need to address religion, the conversion process, and the role of the Agency’s personnel in the guideline. Keywords: the Swedish Migration Agency, conversion, conversion cases, and the conversion process. Table of Contents Abstract Table of Contents Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 Research problem ............................................................................................................................................... 2 Aim ........................................................................................................................................................................3 Research questions.............................................................................................................................................. 3 Previous research ................................................................................................................ 4 Theory .................................................................................................................................... 9 Ninian Smart – Seven Dimensions of Religion .................................................................................................. 9 Henri Gooren’s Approach to Conversion ..................................................................................................... 11 David Thurfjell’s Approach to Secularisation in Sweden .............................................................................. 13 Summarise ......................................................................................................................................................... 16 Method.................................................................................................................................. 17 Grounded Theory ............................................................................................................................................ 17 Material.............................................................................................................................................................. 17 Operationalisation ............................................................................................................................................ 18 Ethical and Normative Considerations ........................................................................................................... 18 The Swedish Asylum Process in Short ......................................................................... 19 The role of the Swedish Migration Agency .................................................................................................... 19 The Burden of Proof ........................................................................................................................................ 19 Credibility and Reliability ................................................................................................................................. 20 Established Guidelines ...................................................................................................... 21 UNHCR’s Guidelines ....................................................................................................................................... 21 The Swedish Migration Agency’s Guidelines .................................................................................................. 21 Findings ................................................................................................................................ 23 According to the critics, what are the problematic aspects of the interviews? .......................................... 23 How the Swedish Migration Agency Conduct Their Asylum Interviews .............................................................. 23 The Swedish Migration Agency Shortcomings ......................................................................................................... 25 What the Swedish Migration Agency Should Focus On ......................................................................................... 26 Improvements ............................................................................................................................................................. 26 What the Swedish Migration Agency Needs to Consider ...................................................................................... 27 Summarise ......................................................................................................................................................... 27 2 Analysis ................................................................................................................................. 28 How would a deeper understanding of religion lead to a better asylum interview? .................................. 28 How would a deeper understanding of religious conversion lead to a better asylum interview? ............. 30 How would a deeper understanding of Swedish secularisation lead to a better asylum interview? ......... 32 Concluding analysis .......................................................................................................................................... 34 Discussion ............................................................................................................................ 36 How should a guideline for conversion cases within the asylum process be constructed? ....................... 36 Religious understanding ............................................................................................................................................. 36 The conversion process ............................................................................................................................................ 37 The role of the Swedish Migration Agency .............................................................................................................. 39 Summarise ......................................................................................................................................................... 39 Recommendations and amendments ........................................................................... 40 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 42 Bibliography ........................................................................................................................ 43 Appendix A .......................................................................................................................... 48 Ida Isaksson 1 Introduction Religion has a long history as a ground of persecution. It is still to this day a source of discrimination, harassment, and threat to life and freedom. The right to religious freedom is a fundamental human right and established in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, amongst other treaties and declarations (Thornburn Stern & Wikström, 2016). “Article 1 Definition of the term “refugee” A. For the purposes of the present Convention, the term “refugee” shall apply to any person who: […] (2) As a result of events occurring before 1 January 1951 and owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it” (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR], 2010). “Article 18: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance” (United Nations [UN], 1948). In 2015, Europe was in turmoil, overflowing with refugees fleeing war and other hardships. Since then, the migration debate in Sweden, like the rest of Europe, has been ongoing. In Sweden, the Swedish Migration Agency