The Ethics and Politics of Immigration

28 May 2015
This panel discussion aims to go beyond populist rhetoric, and tackle instead some of the complex normative, political, and conceptual issues that lie behind immigration in the contemporary world. 

The academic and political currency of immigration has rarely been higher. Amongst other things, the impending EU referendum, the migration crisis, and issues concerning migration and the developing world have brought the notion of free movement and the justification of immigration restrictions to the forefront of public political discourse. We are bringing together a diverse and knowledgeable panel to go beyond populist rhetoric, and tackle instead some of the complex normative, political, and conceptual issues that lie behind immigration in the contemporary world. 

What role does security and diaspora politics play in the ethics of immigration? What about EU membership changes the right of a nation to exclude potential immigrants, and what might change if the UK does decide to leave? What part does the issue of integration of migrant communities play in this discussion? Can preventing brain drain from the developing world provide justification for restriction immigration? These are some of the questions that we will discuss, drawing on the different expertise of the panel, and contributions from the audience.

The Panellist:

• Professor David Miller: Official Fellow and Professor of Political Theory (University of Oxford)
• Dr Fiona Adamson: Senior Lecturer in International Relations (SOAS)
• Marley Morris: Migration, Integration and Communities Researcher (IPPR)
• Dr Avia Pasternak (chair): Lecturer in Public Ethics (UCL)