The Ethics of Refugee Aid

Shiva Nourpanah ()
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Shiva Nourpanah: Atlantic Metropolis Centre, Halifax, Canada

Ethics and Economics, 2011, vol. 8, issue 1, 9

Abstract: This paper examines the ethics of refugee aid, attempting to answer “Why do States engage in refugee aid?” Moving beyond the simplistic answer based on the notion of charity, which demonstrably fits ill with the essentially positivist methodology of conducting refugee aid, an ethical model is construed based on the Weberian concept of action as an instrument of rationality. This is supported with critical readings from Hannah Arendt, amongst others, and also my own experiences as a former UNHCR aid worker. However, although this model better captures ground realities, it negates the individuality and humanity of refugees. Thus refugee aid as a form of global, transnational justice will be presented, based on readings from Amartya Sen.

Keywords: refugee aid; ethical framework; refugee aid as global justice; refugee aid as instrument of rationality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F59 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
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