The contemporary refugee crisis, characterized by mass displacement and political exclusion, calls for urgent philosophical and policy-oriented reflection. Drawing on Hannah Arendt’s concept of statelessness and her notion of the right to have rights, this paper critiques the inadequacy of current humanitarian and legal responses to refugee populations. It argues that despite receiving basic necessities, refugees remain politically invisible and excluded from meaningful participation in public life. Arendt’s emphasis on political belonging and public participation offers a framework for addressing this exclusion by calling for inclusion of refugees into the political community, where their rights can be recognized and protected. The paper explores three levels of reform: legal reforms to ease integration and recognize statelessness; inclusion in local governance structures to foster civic participation and belonging; and international legal reforms to ensure political visibility and responsibility-sharing. Through Arendt’s lens, the paper ultimately contends that restoring political agency and dignity to refugees requires moving beyond aid to structural inclusion within the host societies.
Kavishe et al. (2025) studied this question.