Citizenship

Lecture 1
Introduction
• Contrary to predictions that it would become increasingly unimportant in
a globalizing world, citizenship is back with a vengeance.
• Politicians emphasize its significance while policymakers debate
redefining it amid global economic and communication flows, migration,
and security pressures.
• Legislative bodies introduce stricter citizenship tests and admission
criteria for some migrants while selectively opening access for others.
• Constitutional and high courts address citizenship issues, including
debates on family definitions, religious inclusion, and fundamental
questions on state power like indefinite detention of non-citizens and
immigration law's role in anti-terrorism.
• Scholars have recently refocused on citizenship after a
period of neglect.
• Analysis of Google Books data shows that the usage of
'citizenship' gradually increased from 1800, peaking in
the 1920s, followed by a decline until the early 1980s,
similar to the pattern observed for 'nationality.'
• While the usage of 'nationality' remains constant in
English language books from 1980 onward, references
to 'citizenship' have surged, reaching an all-time high
in the early twenty-first century.
• This resurgence in scholarly interest has sparked lively
debates on emerging postnational, supranational,
transnational, and multicultural concepts of
membership, along with critical discussions on socio-
legal, political, and comparative aspects of citizenship.
• Citizenship, or its absence, is keenly felt by migrants navigating
passports, visas, and border enforcement, raising questions about their
relations to multiple states and their ancestry.
• However, citizenship also extends beyond borders, impacting
marginalized groups within nations like Black Lives Matter in the US and
'untouchables' in India, raising questions about societal obligations.
• It prompts inquiries into civic membership obligations versus
ethnonational interpretations, exploring the balance between
responsibilities to fellow citizens, historical injustices, and participation in
democratic decision-making, and broader duties towards all human beings
regardless of citizenship status.
• Advocates of a global village promote freedom of movement across borders and rights based on
personhood rather than national membership.
• Despite increased globalization and privatization, the authority to govern borders and
citizenship remains primarily with independent states and governments, not a global entity.
• Disparities exist in freedom of movement, with some enjoying significant mobility while others
risk their lives fleeing adversity.
• Public debates often presume states' right to control entry into their territories, drawing
distinctions between economic migrants and political refugees, documented and undocumented
entrants, and citizens and non-citizens.
• Questions arise about the stability and fairness of these distinctions, as well as about internal
hierarchies within citizenries based on social-class origins, gender, ethnoracial background,
sexual orientation, or other inequalities.
• The concept of social citizenship as a means of inclusion is questioned in the face of a
neoliberal citizenship contract that may exclude those deemed unproductive or undeserving.
• In the course of this semester, we shall attempt to address complex and unresolved
questions in the field of citizenship and human rights.
• Conceptual and normative inquiries include envisioning relations between semi-
bounded political communities and fluid membership conceptions.
• Debates arise on whether citizenship encompasses only rights or also responsibilities,
and who should determine membership scope and scale in a globalizing world.
• Consideration is given to the status of non-citizens, semi-citizens, and other 'in
between' categories, along with the legitimacy of requirements for acquiring
citizenship through naturalization.
• Contemplation extends to expanding citizenship to include animals as full and equal
members and rethinking assumptions about 'who belongs' within the citizenry.
• Comparisons between different citizenship regimes across space, time, and societal
groups highlight diverse historical and contemporary experiences within political
communities.
• These comparisons identify trends beyond local, regional, and national differences
and address variations in the relationship between citizenship and nationalism
influenced by globalization and counter-responses like Brexit, 'America First,' and
Hindu nationalism.
• Methodological considerations include determining the best methods for comparing
citizenship regimes and studying citizenship beyond a Euro-centric focus.
• Questions arise regarding conditions prompting states to adopt policies expanding or
reinforcing social, gendered, and racialized inequalities within their citizenries.
• Considerations include the impact of citizenship on individuals under various
membership regimes and whether there is a universal notion of citizenship or
multiple understandings shaped by national, regional, and historical contexts.
• Discussions explore whether current trends reflect progress toward inclusive
democratic participation or a disintegration of meaningful membership and
solidarity.
• Notable recent transformations, such as the rise of dual nationality and
citizenship-for-sale programs, technological border innovations, and
denationalization powers, are examined.
• The relationship between refugeehood and citizenship in a crisis-ridden world is
explored, along with capturing the multidimensionality of citizenship
encompassing legal status, rights, obligations, participation, and belonging.