“In 
the first place, we don’t like to be called ‘refugees.’ We ourselves call each other ‘newcomers’ or ‘immigrants’…A refugee used to be a person driven to seek refuge because of some act committed or political opinion held. Well, it is true we have had to seek refuge; but we committed no acts and most of us never dreamt of having any radical opinion…”
These words, which are quite relevant to us today, were written in 1943 by political philosopher Hannah Arendt in her essay “We Refugees.”
Arendt is a leading 20th century philosopher who explored political thought in an era of authoritarianism and fascism before and after World War II. She has much to offer us today.
You can learn more through our library’s collection:
—Hannah Arendt: A Life in Dark Times by Anne C. Heller
—Hannah Arendt (DVD)
—Hannah Arendt: A Critical Introduction
—Rightlessness in an Age of Rights: Hannah Arend and the Contemporary Struggles of Migrants by Ayten Gundogdu
—The Human Condition by Hannah Arendt
—The Life of the Mind by Hannah Arendt
(And More)
You also may want to check out the BBC’s In our Time Podcast: Hannah Arendt.