University of Surrey Issues in Politics Today What is Citizenship?

Outline  Origins of Citizenship  Participation in Public Affairs  Identity – Inclusion/Exclusion  What rights does a citizen have  Global Citizenship

Citizenship  Concerned with membership of a political community  Relationship between individuals and a political community and between individuals  Rights & Responsibilities – but which rights and which responsibilities?

Classical Origins of Citizenship  Originates in Ancient Greece – circa BC  Participation in the affairs of government  Roman conception – came to be more about legal status – way if integrating conquered peoples into the Empire

Classical Origins of Citizenship II  Classical models raise 3 elements of citizenship which continue to be debated 1. Participation in public affairs 2. Inclusion/Exclusion – who is a citizen? 3. Rights – but which rights?

1. Participation in public affairs  Can take many forms – voting to jury duty  Concern about falling participation in many western democracies  In the UK – led to citizenship education classes  To be active participatory citizens – need to be informed about - the balance between rights & responsibilities - the value of participation in the community - the opportunities to participate

2. Identity – Inclusion/Exclusion  How to include people from diverse backgrounds  Equal rights for all? But do they accommodate cultural difference, or suppress it?  Multicultural rights – different rights to take account of and celebrate our difference? But common citizenship?

3. What rights does a citizen have?  Civil rights (civil liberties)  Political rights (to participate in process of government)  Social rights?  Some argue social rights are necessary for other rights to be enjoyed  Others argue we have obligation to provide for our own welfare & that social rights make us passive, not active citizens

Global Citizenship  Citizenship at the national level  But what about Global Citizenship  Universal human rights – UN Declaration of Human Rights (1948) – rights no matter where you live  Global responsibilities – the environment  People participate & campaign on global issues (e.g. poverty in Africa)  Global citizenship lacks formal status – but has rights, responsibilities & participation