The Ethics of Immigration

In The Ethics of Immigration, Joseph Carens synthesizes a lifetime of work to explore and illuminate one of the most pressing issues of our time. Immigration poses practical problems for western democracies and also challenges the ways in which people in democracies think about citizenship and belonging, about rights and responsibilities, and about freedom and equality. Carens begins by focusing on current immigration controversies in North America and Europe about access to citizenship, the integration of immigrants, temporary workers, irregular migrants and the admission of family members and refugees. Working within the moral framework provided by liberal democratic values, he argues that some of the practices of democratic states in these areas are morally defensible, while others need to be reformed. In the last part of the book he moves beyond the currently feasible to ask questions about immigration from a more fundamental perspective. He argues that democratic values of freedom and equality ultimately entail a commitment to open borders. Only in a world of open borders, he contends, will we live up to our most basic principles. Many will not agree with some of Carens' claims, especially his controversial conclusion, but none will be able to dismiss his views lightly. Powerfully argued by one of the world's leading political philosophers on the issue, The Ethics of Immigration is a landmark work on one of the most important global social trends of our era. "The Ethics of Immigration illuminates the field that Carens has played a pivotal role in founding. A rich and sophisticated discussion of the normative demands of migration, it is also a subtle meditation on the methodological commitments of such theorizing. Carens has written the required text for the political theory of migration." --David Owen, Professor of Social & Political Philosophy, University of Southampton "Joseph Carens's book is a masterful achievement. In strikingly accessible prose, Carens applies the principles of democracy to immigration. The results are sometimes surprising, often provocative, and always well-argued. Traversing both ideal and non-ideal theory, this is the book to read on immigration."--Jeff Spinner-Halev, Kenan Eminent Professor of Political Ethics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill "No other author has examined the ethical imperatives and dilemmas of immigration as thoroughly as Joseph Carens. In this book he successfully blends philosophical reflections with practical illustrations and speaks to a broad audience of citizens in wealthy democracies who are troubled about their moral right to exclude immigrants from access to their territory and citizenship."--Rainer Baubock, European University Institute, Florence "Carens's long-awaited book reprises many of his founding contributions to the field while also advancing them significantly. Carens navigates deftly between grand theory and contextual analysis, between the demands of realism and those of justice, to achieve a synoptic and clarifying analysis of migration ethics. This is an optimistic work of political theory, one motivated by the author's conviction that justice is possible when democratic states pursue immigration policies 'true to their most basic commitments'."--Linda Bosniak, Distinguished Professor of Law, Rutgers University "Elegantly argued...Carens covers the plight of refugees, guest workers, and othAcknowledgments ; 1. Introduction: Mapping the Ethics of Immigration ; PART I: WHO BELONGS? ; 2. Birthright Citizenship ; 3. Naturalization ; 4. Beyond Legal Citizenship to Inclusion ; 5. Permanent Residents ; 6. Temporary Workers ; 7. Irregular Migrants ; 8. The Theory of Social Membership ; PART II: WHO SHOULD GET IN? ; 9. Ordinary Admissions ; 10. Refugees ; 11. The Case for Open Borders ; 12. The Claims of Community ; 13. Conclusion ; Appendix: Presuppositions and Political Theory ; References ; Notes ; Index