Refugees and the “Globalization of Indifference”

In 2013, Pope Francis met with immigrants in Lampedusa and warned about a “globalization of indifference.” Three years later, steady flows of refugees continue. “Francis has made the plight of migrants and refugees a core component of his pastoral work… by saying Christians should build bridges, not walls,” writes Uri Friedman for the Atlantic. “He’s argued that the wanderings of the dispossessed are intertwined with other major themes of his papacy: economic inequality, climate change, and the fracturing of the family.” The numbers and needs are overwhelming, and the Pope admits that unending stream of tragic reports dull the senses. Philosopher Peter Singer, as explained by Friedman, counters that widespread indifference and hostility to strangers is not new. If anything, social media generate awareness, Singer says, or a globalization of concern. Societies strive for cooperation with institutions like the International Criminal Court and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and global approaches are likely more effective than piecemeal measures. The world has a moral responsibility to prevent such tragedies before they unfold, Singer maintains, by considering root social causes and most effective mechanisms for alleviating the suffering. – YaleGlobal