Through the Lens of Perception: Unpacking Subjectivity in Brazil's Refugee Status Determination

Abstract

Credibility assessment is critical in refugee status determination processes both in Brazil and around the world. The unusual circumstances of asylum, often marked by a lack of documentation or material evidence, emphasise the importance of applicants' narratives. As a result, determining who qualifies as a refugee is based on validating the truthfulness of these claims. This article analyses, via qualitative research and interviews, how Brazil's decision-making framework does not eradicate subjectivity but redistributes it, culminating in a collective subjectivity that affects asylum outcomes. This study contests the notion that credibility assessment is solely a matter of technical expertise and exposes subjectivity as an intrinsic element of asylum cases, even within democratic systems.