Liberal Cosmopolitanism and Cross-Border Mobility: The Case of Visa Policies

Abstract

The normative framework of liberal cosmopolitanism provides guiding principles for the organisation of a global order and the treatment of foreigners. It proposes a set of human rights, among them the right to free movement. However, state sovereignty and territorial control remain important in reality. In this article, we are interested in the way liberal states organise and exercise control over mobility. Do they increasingly adhere to principles such as transparency, impartiality and equal treatment? Are there some means to appeal against negative decisions regarding access? We analyse the visa policies of three well-established democracies—the USA, Austria and Finland—with regard to short-term travel. In doing so, we find some discrepancy between cosmopolitan principles and real political practices. There is a growing rift between those who enjoy extended mobility rights and those who do not. The latter are increasingly designated as “high-risk” travellers, categorised as members of a collective rather than individuals. Even though these policies are often relatively transparent, they serve to deny equal treatment. More than ever, the world is deeply divided into those who can move freely and cross borders easily and those who are immobilised.