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Red Emma’s

Reece Jones presents "Open Borders: In Defense of Free Movement"

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Thursday, April 4th 2019

7:00 pm

Red Emma's

This collection of essays challenges reactionary nationalism by making the positive case for the benefits of free movement for countries on both ends of the exchange. Open Borders counters the knee-jerk reaction to build walls and close borders by arguing that there is not a moral, legal, philosophical, or economic case for limiting the movement of human beings at borders. The volume brings together essays by theorists in anthropology, geography, international relations, and other fields who argue for open borders with writings by activists who are working to make safe passage a reality on the ground. It puts forward a clear, concise, and convincing case for a world without movement restrictions at borders.

The essays in the first part of the volume make a theoretical case for free movement by analyzing philosophical, legal, and moral arguments for opening borders. In doing so, they articulate a sustained critique of the dominant idea that states should favor the rights of their own citizens over the rights of all human beings. The second part sketches out the current situation in the European Union, in states that have erected border walls, in states that have adopted a policy of inclusion such as Germany and Uganda, and elsewhere in the world to demonstrate the consequences of the current regime of movement restrictions at borders. The third part creates a dialogue between theorists and activists, examining the work of Calais Migrant Solidarity, No Borders Morocco, activists in sanctuary cities, and others who contest border restrictions on the ground.CONTRIBUTORS: Andrew Burridge, Charles Heller, Michael Huemer, Natasha King, Meryem Lakhdar, Christine Leuenberger, Jenna Loyd, Peter Mancina, Thomas Nail, Joseph Nevins, No Borders Morocco, Polly Pallister-Wilkins, Lorenzo Pezzani, Said Saddiki, Semillas Autónomas, Nandita Sharma, Jacqueline Stevens, Maurice Stierl, Elisabeth Vallet.

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