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Who gets to belong to a political community? What makes a border legitimate? And if nations are human conceptions, could we build them differently?
This episode features Joseph Carens, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Toronto and one of the most influential voices in the contemporary ethics of migration. He is the author of The Ethics of Immigration and of the landmark essay "Aliens and Citizens: The Case for Open Borders," which helped establish immigration as a central question in political philosophy.
In this episode, Carens argues that nations are historical constructions rather than natural facts, and that anyone living as an ongoing member of a community deserves recognition as one. He makes the case that restrictions on movement function today much as they did under feudalism—sorting life chances by accident of birth—and explains why free movement is better understood as an indicator of a just world than a solution for an unjust one. He also discusses assimilation, citizenship tests, equal incomes in a market economy, and the open question of what AI will do to all of it.
Dialexicon is a free podcast dedicated to promoting philosophical education and deep reflection. We invite scholars from around the globe to discuss philosophy in the context of contemporary social issues—all at an easy-to-understand and digestible level.
Website: https://dialexicon.org
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ab9iObuaUb0VDo4R9lLH4YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dialexicon
Chapters(0:00) Introduction(2:47) From Theology to Political Philosophy(11:44) What Political Philosophy Asks(15:36) The Academic, the Activist, and the Politician(23:19) Why Justice Became the Central Question(31:27) Nations as Historical Constructions(43:21) Who Ought to Be a Citizen?(59:29) Feudalism, Borders, and the Right to Move(1:10:02) Assimilation and the Limits of Belonging(1:19:38) Markets, Equality, and What AI Might Change(1:27:24) Advice for Young People(1:29:14) Closing Remarks
Keywords: political philosophy, immigration, open borders, citizenship, birthright citizenship, nationalism, patriotism, global justice, migration ethics, pluralism, multiculturalism, assimilation, egalitarianism, political theory, John Rawls
