January 26th Meeting – Documentary Reality of Psychosocial Immigration Reports

The Medicine & Its Objects Workshop Presents:

Anna Prior  | PhD Student, Comparative Human Development

Discussant: Daniel Scott  | PhD Student, Crown School

*Wednesday, January 26^th from 4:30-6:00pm CT*

Via Zoom Only 

Please email Anna Prior (priorah@uchicago.edu) to RSVP and receive a copy of the pre-circulated paper and the Zoom information.

ABSTRACT: Psychosocial immigration reports written by Mental Health Care (MHC) professionals have become increasingly vital evidence in immigration adjudication processes. Drawing on interviews with 15 MHC professionals who write these reports and analysis of public documents and redacted reports they have written, I argue psychosocial immigration reports work to constitute the expertise of the authors, make individuals legible as “good victims” (Trinch 2007) deserving protection/relief, and prioritize trauma (Fassin & Rechtman 2009). As institutionally viable accounts (Ravatas & Berkenkotter 1998) that constitute a “documentary reality” (Smith 1974), these reports determine what can be mobilized as “real” in immigration adjudication processes.