An afternoon with Satarupa Bose Boy: Where Do They Belong?

About the book
Asylum seekers are often in the public eye, but discussions surrounding them tend to be one-sided. The focus is usually on processes, social and legal issues, and political decisions—often driven by numbers. This prompted the author to explore who the people behind these stories are. Where is the human angle in all these processes and decisions?
Opinions about asylum seekers vary widely. Some people believe that they come to Europe as fortune seekers, receiving everything on a silver platter. Others recognize that many are genuinely in need and sympathize with them, feel bad for them. But what do these refugees think? What is the real story?
After years of research, the author met a few people at a Dutch asylum seekers’ center (AZC) under the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA). Over several months, she spoke to countless asylum seekers and documented their stories.
In this book she gives a voice to these individuals who might otherwise go unheard: a young woman trying to integrate but struggling with slow-moving bureaucracy, an 18-year-old girl facing difficult career and education choices in an unfamiliar school system, a group of undocumented cleaners in the city of Amsterdam and a man on the verge of deportation who sees no future for himself. However, there are also some positive stories which give a fresh and positive angle to the book.
These stories are raw, honest, and sometimes heartbreaking, yet they also reveal resilience and hope. The book connects these personal narratives to broader political themes in the migration debate, such as the Dutch “Spreidingswet” (distribution law), the issuance of social security numbers (BSN), integration issues, and the European political shift to the far right.
The book also powerfully underscores a vital truth: asylum seekers are not mere statistics in headlines; they are real individuals brimming with dreams, fears, and untapped talents. At their core lies a human heart that experiences love, compassion, betrayal, uncertainty, death, and loss—like all of us. Their stories remind us of our shared humanity and the profound struggles that define our existence.
By immersing the reader in their daily reality—the long waiting times at the naturalization centers, bureaucratic hurdles, and small moments of joy and mutual support—the book invites a more nuanced perspective on asylum policies and the people who depend on them.
The book is intended for a broad audience, particularly those who have not yet formed a strong opinion about asylum seekers. By offering a human perspective on migration, the author hopes to foster understanding and empathy without trying to preach anything. The strength of the book lies in the stories themselves—in their authenticity and emotional impact.
With an accessible and straightforward writing style that focuses on real-life experiences, this book offers a unique glimpse into a world that remains invisible to many. It raises questions, sparks conversations, and encourages readers to look beyond the headlines. And ultimately, emerges from a humanitarian viewpoint, emphasizing the importance of understanding and empathy in the complex discussion about migration.

About the author
Satarupa Bose Roy is an accomplished English Language Teacher with an undergraduate degree in English and an MA in Victorian literature from the University of Leicester. She began her career as a journalist in the UK and then made her mark at the Times of India. She moved to the Netherlands in 2007, where she teaches full time at the Dutch Ministry of Defense and ING and brings the Indian community together as the founder editor of Indyana, an Indian expat magazine in the Netherlands, and through her role in the executive committee of the Foundation for Critical Choices for India (FCCI).
Satarupa has authored two books in Bengali: Mir Ei Porjonto and Parabash, both published in Kolkata. Her recent work Jader Desh Bole Kichu Nei is inspired by true stories of refugees worldwide. Translated in English as Where do they belong? this book marks her first foray into English literature, and will also be translated into Dutch.

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