Migration and Political Theory. Gillian Brock
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Название: Migration and Political Theory

Автор: Gillian Brock

Издательство: John Wiley & Sons Limited

Жанр: Афоризмы и цитаты

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isbn: 9781509535248

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СКАЧАТЬ to colonial and postcolonial events, war, slavery, religious pursuits, persecution, and economic goals (Fisher 2014). I obviously cannot cover all these cases in any detail, though I certainly will make reference to relevant features of this history in the chapters to come. For instance, several theorists draw on aspects of colonial history in arguing for reparative duties or other justice obligations towards those peoples who were previously colonized or significantly disadvantaged by historical processes.

      During the world wars and their aftermath, there was considerable movement, with millions motivated to avoid genocide, conflict, and hostilities. The Potsdam Agreement, signed in 1945, gave rise to the largest migration in the twentieth century in which approximately 20 million people were resettled; 16.5 million Germans were expelled from Eastern Europe, but so were hundreds of thousands of Poles, Ukrainians, Lithuanians, and Belarusians. Many Jews from Eastern Europe also migrated to countries such as Israel and the United States.

      The aftermath of World War II also heralded a move for colonized states to seek separation from their former colonists. A wave of new independent states gave rise to much tension which necessitated large-scale movement. The partition of India offers one of the most dramatic examples. In 1947, huge populations of Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims moved either away from or into the newly created state of Pakistan. The partition displaced approximately 17 million people.

      The term “the Great Migration” is often used with reference to the movement of African Americans from the rural Southern United States to the Northeast, Midwest and West between 1910 and 1929. At that time, African Americans faced extensive political and social barriers to advancement, especially economically. The regions to which they migrated offered vastly different economic, social, and political prospects. A second wave of migration, called “the Second Great Migration,” took place from 1929 to 1970, when opportunities began to change in the South. About seven million African Americans migrated in these so-called Great Migrations.

      In chapter 3, I discuss our responsibilities in relation to forced migration. Much migration is forced, as in the case of refugees. What responsibilities do we have to refugees seeking safe haven? Granting asylum, offering resettlement, and facilitating repatriation are just some options to consider. What grounds any obligations we have to refugees? And what would it mean for a state to do its fair share, given that more than 70 million people are currently displaced by conflict at home? In this chapter, some prominent answers to these questions are considered, including those of Michael Walzer, Joseph Carens, David Miller, David Owen, Mathew Gibney, Alexander Betts, and Paul Collier, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses. We also cover some contemporary developments concerning how to assist refugees effectively that address many needs, along with the unique solutions that consideration of climate change refugees might require.

      In chapter 4, I discuss which criteria states may permissibly use in selection and citizenship policies. Not all potential migrants are perceived as equal. High-income states are typically welcoming to the wealthy, skilled, and talented, even when they aim to keep out those they judge to bring insufficient benefits. High net-worth individuals and those with special skills are frequently offered a fast track to citizenship. Are such actions defensible? Which criteria may states permissibly use in selection and citizenship policies? May states permissibly use wealth, health status, education, language ability, religion, sexual orientation, cultural factors, or family connections in such decisions? When might their use be perfectly legitimate and when might they constitute unjust discrimination? In this chapter, I explore such questions in their contemporary context, discussing some prominent analyses of permissible and impermissible criteria for selection, exclusion, and naturalization.