ABSTRACT
Immigration has become a significant issue in political debate across the Western world. It was a signature theme of Donald Trump’s candidacy and presidency and explains the rise of populist parties across Europe. Immigration is a significant issue in many Western countries. Surveying European politics from 1980 to 2015, political scientists Christoffer Green-Pedersen and Simon Otjes argue that immigration has risen up the political agenda in many countries, in line with increases in migration levels and alongside the rise of radical right political parties. The European Union is a large-scale experiment in ‘open borders’. Political theory is concerned with broad principles, rather than detailed empirical discussion of the effects of migration. Liberal communitarianism describes a commitment to moral equality and distributive justice, combined with the importance of national communities.
