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Immigration & Emigration - Government Policy, Immigration & Emigration - Europe - General & Miscellaneous
Open Borders - Second Edition: The Case Against Immigration Controls by Teresa Hayter — book cover

Open Borders - Second Edition: The Case Against Immigration Controls

by Teresa Hayter
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Overview


In this new edition of Open Borders, Teresa Hayter assesses the impact of the increasing severity of border controls since they were first introduced and makes the controversial case for their abolition. Hayter focuses on postwar immigration controls, especially the use of such controls against the peoples of former European colonies and East Europeans, and their effects on asylum seekers. She examines the recent history of European coordination of border controls and the notion of ‘Fortress Europe’. Hayter argues that the existence of controls leads to great suffering and abuse of human rights, and that immigration controls are racist and help legitimate racism. She demonstrates that immigration controls have actually had a limited impact on controlling numbers. To illustrate her arguments, she draws on empirical material, especially from Britain in the 1980s and 1990s, relating in particular to the use of detention, arbitrary decision-making and the denial of benefits. She compares British government policies with policies elsewhere in Europe and calls for the free movement of people and the abolition of border controls. The new edition brings this seminal work up to date with a lengthy preface exploring how the practices of the British government over the past few years has continued the process Hayter outlines in the main text – of abusive and irrational border controls and the criminalisation of entire communities. This second edition also updates the bibliography and list of campaigning groups, and ends with a new manifesto for a world without borders, declaring 'no one is illegal!'

Synopsis

Sheds new light on the issue of asylum and immigration and opposes immigration controls in their totality.

About the Author, Teresa Hayter

Teresa Hayter is an activist and writer who has been involved in a variety of anti-racist campaigns for a number of years. She is the author of Aid as Imperialism (Penguin) and The Creation of World Poverty (Pluto Press).

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Editorials

From the Publisher


'A very impressive achievement.' --Ann Dummett, founder, Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants 'Teresa Hayter has written a formidably comprehensive book on the history, mechanisms, and debates surrounding immigration controls in Britain ... The crux of Hayter's argument is that immigration controls do not, will not, & should not work ... essential reading.' --Red Pepper

Book Details

Published
July 1, 2004
Publisher
Pluto Press
Pages
232
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780745322452

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