Introduction
Part 1: Negative Duties
1. We Innocent Bystanders
2. Doing and Allowing Harm to Refugees
3. Justifying Harms to Refugees
4. Direct and Structural Injustices
Part 2: Positive Duties
5. The Situation of Refugees
6. The Harms of a Human Rights Violation
7. Refugees, Rights and Rightlessness
8. Duties of Justice
9. Positive Duties to Refugees
Conclusion: An Ethical Response to Refugees
Postscript: The Ukrainian Displacement.
Bibliography
Index
Biography
Bradley Hillier-Smith is a Philosopher, Researcher, and Teacher in Moral, Legal and Political Philosophy at the University of St Andrews, UK. His research specialises in migration ethics, the philosophy of human rights, and the ethics of forced displacement, and has been published in the Journal of Ethics and Social Philosophy, Moral Philosophy, and Politics and the Journal of Social Philosophy. Bradley is also a charity-worker and a political campaigner advocating for the rights, settlement, and protection of refugees.
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“Hillier-Smith’s book, in short, is an excellent contribution to an important debate; it is complex, morally persuasive, and original. Even those of its readers who are unconvinced by its conclusions are likely to find much of value in its arguments.” —Michael Blake in Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews
"An important contribution to the ongoing debate over how states, especially western liberal democracies, should respond to refugees." -- Serena Parekh, Northeastern University
“In this important book, Bradley Hillier-Smith offers a philosophically sharp critique of what he identifies as the dominant ‘Duty of Rescue Approach’ to understanding Northern states’ ethical obligations towards refugees. From this critique, he builds an insightful analysis and vision of such states’ negative and positive obligations in this context. At a time when political debates surrounding asylum and refugee protection are highly polarised and refugee rights are under threat, Hillier-Smith’s rigorous work will be a key source for anyone interested in what a fully ethical response to refugees would look like.” -- James Souter, Lecturer in Political Theory and International Politics and author of Asylum as Reparation
“Through rigorous philosophical analysis, Hillier-Smith reveals how current state practices of border violence, detention, and containment constitute direct injustices against refugees. By examining refugee experiences of human rights violations and the mechanisms by which border restrictions function, he demonstrates that states have both negative duties not to harm refugees and strong positive duties of justice to protect them. This breakthrough work shows that an ethical response -- one that upholds refugees' autonomy, dignity and rights -- is not only morally required but practically achievable. Essential reading for anyone seeking to understand what we truly owe to refugees.” -- Kieran Oberman, Associate Professor of Philosophy at the London School of Economics and Political Science
“The Ethics of State Responses to Refugees offers a philosophically rich and persuasive the[1]ory of the moral obligations of Global North states towards refugees. Bradley Hillier-Smith argues against the dominant humanitarian understanding of the nature and content of our obligations towards refugees. Instead, he identifies a negative duty and two positive duties as the fundamental components of an ethical response to refugees. Added value comes from the clear and plain style, making arguments accessible to a non-expert audience. This book is an excellent read for anyone interested in the ethics of refugee policy, including those who are not familiar with the philosophical debate.” -- Laura Santi Amantini in Ethical Theory and Moral Practice
