Asylum seeking converts and the catechism of the authority. A study of converts' asylum process with the Board of Migration

This essay examines twelve interview protocols from the Swedish Board of Migration done with converts who claim their conversion as reason for asylum. The aim of the study is twofold: To understand the Migration Board´s perception of Christian faith, and to explore how the Board can work with these issues in the future with the help from the church. Through the method of content analysis I analyse the interview protocols and discuss the results using the theoretical concepts of ”thick” and ”thin”. I find that the Board of Migration shows a ”thin” understanding of Christian faith, while the converts tend to describe their Christian faith in ways that resonate with a ”thick” understanding. Within the area of religious studies I show that the Board of Migration has an outdated view on conversion and Christian faith and that the Board’s understanding does not reflect the scholarly study of religion. I finally point out some actions that would help the Board of Migration to achieve a “thicker” understanding of Christian faith, and to ensure the converts legal security