Description
Debate over whether or not we should have ‘open’ or ‘closed’ borders continues today, although often falls back into the same patterns and arguments that have been made repeatedly before. The political significance and importance of the border, especially for all those who interact with it, emphasise the extent to which it is a vital question we need to tackle. An international border system that is fair, ethical, and works for everyone is necessary. Given the somewhat static and deadlocked nature of the ethics of admissions debate, there is need for fresh theoretical perspectives.
As such, I draw on the work of Judith Shklar, particularly in relation to cruelty and injustice, alongside current research in Critical Border Studies, to make a new normative intervention in this debate. Firstly, I argue that the international border system as it works today is cruel in a variety of ways. Secondly, I use Shklar’s concept of the need to put cruelty first in order to argue that there is a need toshift towards ‘open’ borders given the cruelty that the current restrictive border regime inflicts globally. Following this, I briefly offer a couple of thoughts on how we should conceptualise ‘open’, cruelty-free borders.
