Article
The "Foreign" Virus? Justifying Norway's Border Closure
Etikk i Praksis - Nordic Journal of Applied Ethics
(2021)
Abstract
In response to the Covid pandemic, the Norwegian government put in place the strictest border controls in Norwegian modern history, barring entry to most foreign nationals. The Prime Minister, Erna Solberg, justified these policies with reference to the rise of new Covid variants and the need to limit visitors to Norway as much as possible. As this approach has severe adverse effects on many people, there is a need to critically examine the justification given for closing the border. In this paper, we argue that while many border restrictions are legitimate, the recent banning of entry for groups of people is not adequately justified, that it unduly limits personal freedoms, and places an unjust burden on transnational citizens and Norwegians with close relations abroad.
Keywords
- Covid-19,
- border closure,
- border restrictions,
- justice,
- sovereignty,
- nationalism,
- immigration,
- freedom,
- ignorance
Disciplines
Publication Date
2021
Citation Information
Attila Tanyi and Magnus Skytterholm Egan. "The "Foreign" Virus? Justifying Norway's Border Closure" Etikk i Praksis - Nordic Journal of Applied Ethics Vol. 15 Iss. 2 (2021) p. 29 - 47 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/attila_tanyi/42/