Strangers in Our Midst:
The Political Philosophy of Immigration
by David Miller (Author)
It is not unusual for
people in countries with limited job opportunities and economic resources to
want to seek a better life in different lands. This is especially so for those
who come from countries where they are treated poorly, discriminated against,
or worse. But moving from one country to another in large numbers creates
serious problems for receiving countries as well as those sending them.
How should Western
democracies respond to the many millions of people who want to settle in their
societies? Economists and human rights advocates tend to downplay the
considerable cultural and demographic impact of immigration on host societies.
Seeking to balance the rights of immigrants with the legitimate concerns of
citizens, Strangers in Our Midst brings a bracing dose of realism to this
debate. David Miller defends the right of democratic states to control their
borders and decide upon the future size, shape, and cultural make-up of their
populations.
Reframing immigration as a
question of political philosophy, he asks how democracy within a state can be
reconciled with the rights of those outside its borders. A just immigration
policy must distinguish refugees from economic migrants and determine the
rights that immigrants in both categories acquire, once admitted. But being
welcomed into a country as a prospective citizen does more than confer
benefits: it imposes responsibilities. In Miller’s view, immigrants share with
the state an obligation to integrate into their adopted societies, even if it
means shedding some cultural baggage from their former home.
