Kant in the 21st Century

The Applicability of Cosmopolitanism to Contemporary Refugees

Abstract

This essay seeks to succinctly expose Kant's cosmopolitan law as a principle applicable to the situation of refugees in today's world. To do this, first the concept of cosmopolitan law will be exposed, as delineated in Kant's To Perpetual Peace (1795). In a second moment, the formation of Kant's cosmopolitan thought will be addressed, as an idea opposed to selfishness, in his hometown of Königsberg. Finally, we will present a history of refuge from the current world and compare it with the principle of hospitality required by Kantian cosmopolitan law, to demonstrate that the treatment given to refugees, as a general rule, violates the Kantian principles proposed in Perpetual Peace. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate that cosmopolitan law, extracted from Kantian philosophy, can and should be thought of as a guiding principle for the treatment of refugees in today's world, and that this would lead to a dignified treatment of the refugee, consistent with their humanity and dignity. Refuge seekers are the citizens of the world in the 21st century.