Theorising Statelessness

Abstract

Although statelessness has existed as long as there have been states, carries with it significant practical difficulties for individuals and creates substantial theoretical problems, Political Theory has been slow to address its implications. Statelessness is more than a migration question - it means being a noncitizen everywhere. This panel will open the discussion of how political theorists can begin directly to address the question of statelessness. The implications of this are different across global contexts and it will be necessary for this book to take into account both the differences and the similarities between these various contexts. The sorts of concerns this raises are: - What challenges and dilemmas does statelessness, and the right of stateless persons, raise for State-based theories? - Can these challenges be addressed through state-based responses to statelessness, or is more radical change needed? - What kinds of responses to these challenges are offered by post-national or transnational approaches ? - What can we learn from statelessness about the worth and relevance of citizen and noncitizen statuses in political theory? - Can stateless persons be political actors? Can they be members of a constituency? Is there any sense to the concept of a stateless constituency? - What is the meaning/relevance of the ‘right to have rights’ today? Note that the presenters on this panel are all contributors to a book project on Theorising Statelessness. This panel session comes at a key stage in the development process. The participants will be presenting work in progress and hoping to reflect the debate at this panel in their chapters.

Title	Details
Avoidance: The Law and Practice on the Non-recognition of Stateless Persons in the Netherlands	View Paper Details
‘Insider’ Theory and the Construction of Statelessness	View Paper Details
Providing for Stateless Persons: Fiduciary Duty as an Alternative to State-based Theories	View Paper Details
Citizenship or Statelessness: Colonised Groups and the Right to Have Rights	View Paper Details