Reasonable Demands: Refugees’ Political Obligations

Refugees occupy a unique moral and legal position in our communities. Their relationships with their host states are born out of necessity and coloured by their disenfranchisement, as refugees do not receive democratic participation rights in the same way citizens do. Given that refugees are not allowed to vote, together with their uniquely vulnerable circumstances and the coercive character of the (immigration) laws they are expected to obey, we might wonder what kind of political obligations, if any, they have. As the literature is focused on the rights of refugees, there is insufficient discussion regarding their duties. I will here investigate the political obligations of refugees by examining whether the four main theories of political obligation, consent, gratitude, natural duty, and fair play, can be applied to refugees. I will then discuss a more limited version of political obligations, based on the fair play account specifically, as I discuss a moral basis from which we...Show moreRefugees occupy a unique moral and legal position in our communities. Their relationships with their host states are born out of necessity and coloured by their disenfranchisement, as refugees do not receive democratic participation rights in the same way citizens do. Given that refugees are not allowed to vote, together with their uniquely vulnerable circumstances and the coercive character of the (immigration) laws they are expected to obey, we might wonder what kind of political obligations, if any, they have. As the literature is focused on the rights of refugees, there is insufficient discussion regarding their duties. I will here investigate the political obligations of refugees by examining whether the four main theories of political obligation, consent, gratitude, natural duty, and fair play, can be applied to refugees. I will then discuss a more limited version of political obligations, based on the fair play account specifically, as I discuss a moral basis from which we may better understand both the rights and duties of refugees. Finally, I will discuss the implications of separating such obligations from participation rights, and what this may entail for other migrants and travelers.Show less

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Reasonable Demands: Refugees’ Political Obligations