From ordinary human suffering to Adversity-Activated Development: acknowledging the complexity, uniqueness, and totality of asylum seekers’ hotspot experiences

This article is based on a longitudinal qualitative study with asylum seekers who have resided at the Closed Controlled Access Centre (hotspot) on the Greek island of Samos. It is grounded in the premise that the time asylum seekers spend in hotspots is a period of serious adversity. Using the Adversity Grid framework developed by Renos Papadopoulos, the article then explores the entire spectrum of impacts of the hotspot, including negative impacts, unchanged characteristics, and any positive developments. While confirming the debilitating effects of the hotspot on asylum seekers, the findings suggest that these debilitating effects largely constitute ordinary human suffering rather than manifestations of psychological problems or psychiatric conditions. In addition, the findings also suggest that adverse hotspot experiences can also lead to Adversity-Activated Development, at times with far-reaching positive consequences for asylum seekers. Overall, the article emphasises the need to be attentive to the complexity, uniqueness, and totality of human experiences when studying the impact of hotspots, just as when studying any other form of severe adversity.