‘We do things that matter’: Humanitarian representations of health and welfare services for forced migrants

Abstract

The article explores welfare and health practitioners’ representations of work practices and professional values underpinning their engagement with forced migrants within a polyfunctional health service in an Italian metropolitan city. It explores the integrated approach developed to cater for asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection’s specific needs. Building on interviews with health professionals and welfare workers, the article aims to critically discuss how concepts of care and responsibility are talked about and what kind of values underpin their work ethics. Humanitarian representations emerging from the narratives of health and welfare workers suggest that care and compassion are asymmetric and inherently racialised emotions and the use of vulnerability to depict service users can work to legitimise problematic practices as well as maintaining a focus on the compassionate saviours, whilst at the same time silencing people in need.