ABSTRACT
The UN Declaration of Human Rights, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, together with key provisions of the South African Constitution have informed the work of the Constituent Assembly of Refugians, but there are many aspects of Refugia that are unique. Using utopian thinking, Refugia is the outcome of an implicit grand bargain – among richer states and emerging countries, countries neighbouring conflicts, and, crucially, refugees themselves. After local discussions in local assemblies and meetings with representatives of Refugia, new constituent zones are, in effect, licensed by the nation-states within whose territories they lie. Refugia is governed by a transnational virtual assembly, elected by Refugians from all the constituent components of the polity. This digital structure represents Refugia globally, but there are also periodic face-to-face global parliaments. Refugians already pay taxes or contributions to the nation-states within which they live, but also to the wider Refugia polity.
