Refugees, Asylum Seekers and the Rule of Law: Comparative Perspectives

Contributors to this volume examine how the legislative, executive and administrative arms of government have responded to issues concerning the rights and status of refugees and asylum seekers in five common law jurisdictions: the UK, Australia, Canada, the USA and New Zealand. Who and what determines the legislative agenda in this context? Is the legislative agenda driven by the legislators or by the executive? Where does the 'community' fit into this picture? Together the essays explain the international context for the responses of the jurisdictions, evaluate the responses from a human rights perspective and assess the integrity and coherency of legal responses as shown by their impact on the rule of law.

Introduction - refugees and asylum seekers in the international context: rights and realities Susan Kneebone; 1. The rule of law and the role of law: refugees and asylum seekers Susan Kneebone; 2. Asylum and the rule of law in Canada: hearing the other (side) Audrey Macklin; 3. Refugees, asylum and the rule of law in the USA Stephen H. Legomsky; 4. The Australian story: asylum seekers outside the law Susan Kneebone; 5. The intersection between the international, the regional and the domestic: seeking asylum in the United Kingdom Maria O'Sullivan; 6. Conclusions on the rule of law Susan Kneebone; Appendix.