Immigration, Self-Determination, and Global Justice: Towards a Holistic Normative Theory of Migration
| Date | 01 April 2012 |
| Published date | 01 April 2012 |
| DOI | 10.3366/jipt.2012.0034 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
IMMIGRATION, SELF-DETERMINATION, AND GLOBAL
JUSTICE: TOWARDS A HOLISTIC NORMATIVE THEORY
OF MIGRATION
JORGE M. VALADEZ
Abstract: I outline a holistic normative approach to migration in which I identify
the major considerations that should be taken into account in formulating just
migration policies. I argue that migration is basically an issue of global justice
and that the basic interests of all parties significantly affected by migration
should be taken into account in an adequate normative approach to this issue.
I also maintain that an open borders policy does not allow for the strategic use
of labor migration as a tool to address global inequalities and that it neglects
legitimate concerns that liberal egalitarians should have for the most vulnerable
individuals in developing countries.
Keywords: Freedom of movement, global justice, immigration, migration, open
borders, territorial powers
In this paper I adopt a holistic approach to examine the roles that global
justice and self-determination play in articulating just migration policies. Most
approaches to migration grant normative priority to one or another party affected
by migration, or focus on one or another socioeconomic or political factor related
to this issue, often without explicitly explaining why such parties or factors merit
overriding concern. An advantage of a holistic approach is that it takes into
account broader morally relevant considerations in determining just migration
policies. Even though I cannot claim, given obvious limitations of time and
space, to provide an exhaustive account of all of the relevant considerations
related to migration, it is important to begin to think holistically about this issue
and to integrate in a theoretically coherent manner the major factors relevant for
the identification of just migration policies. To this end, I outline the contours of
Journal of International Political Theory, 8(1–2) 2012, 135–146
DOI: 10.3366/jipt.2012.0034
© Edinburgh University Press 2012
www.eupjournals.com/jipt
135
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