Citizenship as a Challenge

Dimensions of an Evolving Process

Series: At the Interface / Probing the Boundaries, Volume: 134

Volume Editors: Tamara Nair and Maria Inês Amaro

Citizenship is one of the most important legacies of human development. It raises the human status from a biological condition into a cultural, moral, political and rationalistic one. It is a constantly evolving process, which at each new turn, adds complexity to human existence.
After the breakthroughs of the eighteenth century, with the first steps in recognition of civil and political rights, and of the twentieth century with the advancement of social rights and the emergence of cultural and environmental rights, one could conclude that the twenty-first century would see an enlargement of citizenship ideas and ideals. Has this indeed happened? Where are we now when it comes to identifying ourselves as citizens?
Varying across several disciplines, this volume addresses the complexities of citizenship and our attempts to make sense of them.