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Mistranslating Vulnerability: A defence for hearing

Urquiza-Haas, Nayeli (2017) Mistranslating Vulnerability: A defence for hearing. Tilburg Law Review, 22 (1-2). pp. 5-30. ISSN 2211-0046. E-ISSN 2211-2596. (doi:10.1163/22112596-02201002) (KAR id:63259)

Abstract

Immigration case-workers in the UK hear endless stories about flight and persecution by people claiming asylum. However, asylum claims are fragile due to the logocentric foreclosures to the

acoustic registers in asylum testimonies. In view of the fragility of refugee narratives of flight, legal safeguards aim to create the right conditions for interviewees’ testimonies. Yet, this article

suggests refugee status determination processes side-line the sound of vulnerability by falsely interpreting testimonies that appear to be incomprehensible as untrue or as exceptional

accounts of vulnerability. But silenced or fragmented testimonies are not necessarily untrue or devoid of meaning; their meaning is tied to the marginalization of phone in the logocentric

logic in law. Instead of accepting the voices of asylum-seekers as aphonic, this article heeds the call to hear the acoustic uniqueness of testimonies, drawing on Adriana Cavarero’s vocal

philosophy.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1163/22112596-02201002
Uncontrolled keywords: vulnerability; asylum testimonies; Cavarero; logocentrism; vocal philosophy
Divisions: Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > Kent Law School
Depositing User: Sian Robertson
Date Deposited: 07 Sep 2017 10:11 UTC
Last Modified: 10 Jan 2024 14:10 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/63259 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Urquiza-Haas, Nayeli.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4794-1783
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