In the eve of EU enlargement of 2004 to include eight East-European countries the paper problematized the clash between two historically different concepts of national identity and citizenship. The "culture-nations" of the East are being aligned with the "state-nations" of the West, while the inhabitants of both regions are offered a common perspective to enjoy rights of the EU citizenship. An assumption that newly admitted Eastern countries should somehow adopt the Western "civic" model of nationality is challenged by the fact that even the Western societies are increasingly uncertain about their national and cultural identities under the pressures of economic globalization, producing the phenomenon of "hybrid" or "kaleidoscopic" identities.
Although at this time of enlargement extreme nationalist policies were not dominant, the paper presents the case of the former Yugoslavia whose collapse and ensuing wars showed what consequences might be expected when the concept of national citizenship is reserved exclusively for ethnic majorities. Under the rule of ethnocracy, which operates in the mode of conflict production towards "minorities" or "others", the idea of democratic citizenship is essentially endangered. To deal with this problem some have proposed the idea of "differentiated citizenship" recognizing collective rights of certain groups. Liberal critics however, warn that in such a case citizenship loses its integrative function and endangers the stability of a political community.
The EU citizenship does not replace national citizenship of member states, upon which it is based, but adds a new layer of rights and obligations under the Community Law. Since any citizenship in principle represents a relation between an individual and a political community, the lack of "national" political institutions of the EU generates a "fragmented citizenship". Thereby a EU citizen is frequently in a position, due to proclaimed freedom of movement, to demand rights from a state she is not national of. Even more complex is a problem of third-country (non-EU) nationals legally residing in the Union who are denied Union citizenship. As this citizenship is predicated upon national citizenship, the member states retain sovereign right to impose restrictions on citizenship in order to protect their cultural or political homogeneity.
Table of Contents
THE CONCEPT OF IDENTITIES
THE CONCEPT OF CITIZENSHIP
THE CONCEPT OF CITIZENSHIP OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
Objectives and Research Themes
This paper examines the evolving relationship between identity and citizenship within the context of the European Union's enlargement. It explores how historical differences between Western civic concepts and Eastern ethnic concepts of nationhood influence the integration of new member states and investigates the challenges posed by modern, fragmented citizenship in a globalized environment.
- The historical divergence between Western civic and Eastern ethnic national identity models.
- The impact of globalization and EU integration on traditional state-centric citizenship.
- The concept of "differentiated citizenship" and its implications for social stability and democratic values.
- The normative and political debate surrounding the extension of EU citizenship to third-country nationals.
- Analysis of the "kaleidoscope of identities" emerging in contemporary European society.
Excerpt from the Book
THE CONCEPT OF CITIZENSHIP
Citizenship is a relationship between an individual and a state in which an individual owes allegiance to that state and in turn is entitled to its protection. Citizenship implies the status of freedom with accompanying responsibilities. Citizens have certain rights, duties, and responsibilities that are denied or only partially extended to aliens and other non-citizens residing in a country. In general, full political rights, including the right to vote and to hold public office, are predicated upon citizenship. The usual responsibilities of citizenship are allegiance, taxation, and military service. Nationality, on the other hand, is a broader term that includes various relations between individual and the state, which does not necessarily confer full political rights but do imply other privileges such as protection abroad. Unlike citizenship, a corporation, a ship or an aircraft can possess nationality.
In the East, during the communist era, political rights such as the right to free association were highly limited, if not abolished. In turn, people were granted social rights in order to protect the basic material needs of the working class. The concept of “worker” replaced that of “citizen” so that these were social rights without citizenship. During the transition period the most people of these societies expected these rights to be kept, if not extended, along with the gained civil and political rights. The situation, however, developed in the opposite way: rise of unemployment, production crisis, neglect of social questions and creation of social inequalities lead the population to disappointment of the new liberal democratic values and to the feeling that “communism was better”.
Summary of Chapters
THE CONCEPT OF IDENTITIES: This chapter analyzes the shift from traditional national identities to a more fragmented, "hybrid" identity landscape influenced by globalization and the distinct historical paths of Western civic and Eastern ethnic models.
THE CONCEPT OF CITIZENSHIP: This chapter defines citizenship as a reciprocal relationship between the individual and the state and contrasts it with nationality, while discussing the impact of communist-era social policies on modern democratic expectations.
THE CONCEPT OF CITIZENSHIP OF THE EUROPEAN UNION: This chapter examines the specific layer of citizenship added by the EU, highlighting the fragmentation of rights and the ongoing debate regarding the inclusion of third-country nationals.
Keywords
Citizenship, Identity, European Union, Enlargement, Nationalism, Civic Identity, Ethnic Identity, Globalization, Human Rights, Ethnocracy, Political Participation, Third Country Nationals, Sovereignty, Social Rights, Integration
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper focuses on the intersection of identity and citizenship in the context of the European Union's enlargement, specifically looking at how different historical traditions influence modern political integration.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
Central themes include the distinction between civic and ethnic national identity, the historical development of citizenship, the transformation of state-nation relations, and the challenges of integrating diverse populations within the EU framework.
What is the central research question?
The paper asks how the newly established European citizenship and the process of EU enlargement influence traditional cultural, national, and ethnic identities in both Western and Eastern European contexts.
Which scientific approach is utilized?
The work employs a comparative and normative analysis, drawing on historical perspectives and political theories to evaluate how citizenship functions as a tool for both social inclusion and exclusion.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers the theoretical foundations of identity, the evolution of citizenship from ancient to modern times, the specific nature of EU citizenship, and the normative arguments for and against extending these rights to non-EU nationals.
Which keywords best characterize the research?
Key terms include Citizenship, Identity, European Union, Globalization, Ethnic Identity, Civic Identity, and Integration.
How does the author define "ethnocracy"?
Ethnocracy is defined as a form of political rule where power is concentrated in leaders who promote national interests based on common culture, religion, and ethnicity, often at the expense of independent civic institutions.
What is "differentiated citizenship"?
It is a concept where political community membership is tied to group identity rather than just individual status, which the author notes can threaten the stability and integrative function of liberal democratic states.
What is the main argument regarding third-country nationals?
The author presents the "liberal contractualist" position, which argues that since long-term resident non-EU nationals are affected by European institutions, they should be granted Union citizenship to ensure equal legal status.
- Citation du texte
- Sead S. Fetahagić (Auteur), 2003, Identities and Citizenship in the Enlarging Europe, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/353834
