The Social Geography of Waiting During the Asylum Process Outside the Metropolises

This paper explores the social geography of waiting experienced by asylum seekers beyond the metropolises. Waiting, which manifests both as a time of "paralysis" (Crapanzano, 1985) and as a power negotiations (Schwartz, 1974), raises the following question: how does it structure the daily life and perspectives of people seeking asylum? Far from being a linear process, the experiences of asylum seekers reveal complex situations that are influenced by political-administrative, familial, and gender-related factors. Since the so-called “long summer of migration” in 2015, a rich body of literature has emerged concerning the reception of asylum seekers in rural areas and small towns, focusing on local governance, solidarities, opportunities and conflicts. However, few studies investigate the narratives produced by asylum seekers themselves during the waiting period. Using a qualitative approach that combines the co-production of a sensitive cartography, a commented journey, and informal conversations, this paper analyzes the inequalities in asylum trajectories in the non-metropolitan areas, revealing social injustices and empowerment dynamics. Through an analysis of three case studies in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in France, this work aims to shift the political and academic discourse on the arrival of asylum seekers outside metropolitan areas, by examining the narratives they produce.