Cardiff University | Prifysgol Caerdydd ORCA
Online Research @ Cardiff 
WelshClear Cookie - decide language by browser settings

Displaying genuineness: cultural translation in the drafting of marriage narratives for immigration applications and appeals

Carver, Natasha 2014. Displaying genuineness: cultural translation in the drafting of marriage narratives for immigration applications and appeals. Families, Relationships and Societies 3 (2) , pp. 271-286. 10.1332/204674313X669937

[thumbnail of Displaying Genuineness GREEN.pdf]
Preview
PDF - Accepted Post-Print Version
Download (629kB) | Preview

Abstract

This article uses Finch's (2007) idea of 'display' to analyse the process in which autobiographical statements for family immigration applications and appeals are drafted in the United Kingdom. I argue that legal representatives play a key role in 'translating culture' (Good, 2011) in relation to both content and form, a process that is driven primarily by the need to demonstrate compatibility with the cultural assumptions of ethnocentrically conceived Immigration Rules. These rules act as 'moral gatekeepers' (Wray, 2006) to set limits on the conceptual structure of 'family' and to outline what a 'genuine' marital relationship looks like, thereby excluding cultural Others. The findings show that legal representatives translate the experiences, norms and values of their clients' relationships using authorial devices to make the account ring true within a commonsense understanding of British culture. I suggest that legal representatives thus contribute to a successful outcome for those lacking in cultural capital.

Item Type: Article
Date Type: Publication
Status: Published
Schools: Law
Subjects: K Law > K Law (General)
Publisher: Policy Press
ISSN: 2046-7435
Funders: ESRC
Date of First Compliant Deposit: 22 March 2018
Last Modified: 11 Nov 2023 03:29
URI: https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/108263

Citation Data

Cited 17 times in Scopus. View in Scopus. Powered By Scopus® Data

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item Edit Item

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics