Abstract

Foreigners are often discriminated against. Each social group tends to locate itself at the center of the universe. Like the poor and the outcast, the stranger occupies an ambiguous social position: He stands inside, outside, and in front of all social groups. Paradoxically, he is a member of the group if he accepts to be excluded. Drawing inspiration from such considerations, this paper intends to reflect on the value of hospitality in ancient Greek culture and in the Jewish and Christian religions, this in order outline the idea of an "open" and "fair" community.