In this lecture Professor Fernando Teson examines the question of whether “brain drain” – a popular term applied to the emigration of skilled persons from poor countries to rich countries – is harmful and unjust to poor countries.

Governments of developing countries argue that because “human capital” is an important determinant of economic growth, the loss of skilled individuals undermines the economic performance of the country. Taking this empirical claim as obviously true, many deplore the brain drain as somehow unfair, and suggest that something ought to be done to stem it.

Professor Teson argues that this conventional view is problematic on both empirical and philosophical grounds. He notes that the empirical assumption that brain drain invariably hurts developing countries is controversial, noting the existence of a contrarian literature suggesting that the brain drain may help those left behind.

Teson further argues that the philosophical claim that brain drain is unfair and unjust is based on an assumption that societies in some sense own individuals’ natural talents, and that this claim ought to be rejected.

About Fernando Teson
Fernando Teson is Tobias Simon Eminent Scholar and professor of Florida State University College of Law. Known for his scholarship relating political philosophy to international law (in particular his defense of humanitarian intervention), and his work on political rhetoric, Professor Tesón is author of Humanitarian Intervention: An Inquiry into Law and Morality (3rd ed fully revised and updated, Transnational Publishers 2005); Rational Choice and Democratic Deliberation (Cambridge University Press 2006) [with Guido Pincione]; A Philosophy of International Law (Westview Press 1998); and many articles in law, philosophy and international relations journals and collections of essays. He has served as a Professor of Law and Affiliate Professor of Philosophy at Arizona State University, where he taught for 17 years prior to joining Florida State University's faculty.

Before entering academia, Professor Tesón was a career diplomat for the Argentina Foreign Ministry in Buenos Aires for four years. He resigned from the Argentine foreign service in 1981 to protest against the human rights abuses of the Argentine government. He has served as visiting professor at Cornell Law School, Indiana University School of Law, University of California Hastings College of Law, the Oxford-George Washington International Human Rights Program, and is Permanent Visiting Professor, Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Questions:
Lynn Roseberry: lr.jur@cbs.dk

Registration
Registration is free and open to anyone.

Please register no later than 6 April 2010 by sending an e-mail to Kim A. Jørgensen: kaj.jur@cbs.dk