Immigration Detention

We explore the philosophy and politics of immigration detention and ask whether the state should be allowed indefinitely detain people who have committed no crime.

Thousands of foreign nationals are held in immigration detention across the country. Some are detained on arrival, and others after having lived here for years. Some detainees will be deported, others will be released into the community. Currently in the UK there is no time limit on how long a person can be held in immigration detention. Our panel will reflect on politics and philosophy of immigration detention. Should the state be allowed indefinitely detain people who have committed no crime? What are the alternatives to detention? What does detention tell us about the ethics of immigration control more generally?

Mary Bosworth (@MFBosworth) is Professor of Criminology at the University of Oxford.

Matthew Gibney is Professor of Politics and Forced Migration at the University of Oxford.

Mishka is an Advocate at Freed Voices.

Sarah Fine (@DrSJFine) is a Fellow at the Forum for Philosophy and a Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at KCL.

Founded in 1996, the Forum for Philosophy (@forumphilosophy) is a non-profit organization that has gained widespread recognition for its work as initiator and sponsor of engaging and thoughtful events that facilitate wider participation in academic philosophy. 

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