Introduction: The Duty of Care in International Relations

This chapter introduces a varied set of international challenges concerning the relationship between states and citizens. It presents the historical background for why states are interested in citizens beyond the border, and the different forms this interest has taken over the centuries. The chapter discusses how the concept allows for new insights into topics, as well as how it reconfigures and ties together insights from existing literatures. It describes the contemporary understanding and practice of the Duty of Care. The Duty of Care originates in tort law, particularly in the common law tradition. It concerns negligence and the future duties anyone involved in inter-personal relationships could be held responsible for. Combining asymmetrical power and contractual relations, another understanding of the Duty of Care has been developed in the field of Human Relations in work relations. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.