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Immigration and Democratic Principles: On Carens’ Ethics of Immigration
Author(s) -
Song Sarah
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of applied philosophy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.339
H-Index - 30
eISSN - 1468-5930
pISSN - 0264-3758
DOI - 10.1111/japp.12188
Subject(s) - immigration , normative , democracy , politics , argument (complex analysis) , sociology , political philosophy , value (mathematics) , perspective (graphical) , interpretation (philosophy) , epistemology , positive economics , law , political science , law and economics , economics , philosophy , biochemistry , chemistry , linguistics , machine learning , artificial intelligence , computer science
Carens has done more than any other political theorist or philosopher to develop the normative perspective of prospective migrants from within the liberal democratic tradition, but he has not sufficiently engaged with the other side of the argument – in particular, with the value of political community and the principle of collective self‐determination. What is at stake for the immigrant‐receiving country that might justify its claim to control immigration? I first examine Carens’ theory of social membership and its connection to political community. I then discuss his method of ‘political theory from the ground up’ and his interpretation of democratic principles. I conclude with a discussion of the principle of collective self‐determination.