Introduction

Citizenship has been defined as full and equal membership of a political community. In today's world, states give their members a collective political identity as well as certain rights — this is why we think of ourselves as Indians, or Japanese, or Germans, depending on which state we belong to. Citizens expect certain rights from their own state, and also expect help and protection wherever in the world they travel.

The importance of full membership becomes clear when we think about people who have the misfortune of living as refugees or illegal migrants because no state is willing to grant them membership — such people are not guaranteed rights by any state and generally live in precarious conditions. For them, full membership of a state of their choice is a goal worth struggling for, as seen today with Palestinian refugees in the Middle East.

The precise rights granted to citizens vary from state to state, but in most democratic countries today they typically include some political rights (like the right to vote), civil rights (like freedom of speech or belief), and some socio-economic rights (which could include a minimum wage or the right to education). Equality of rights and status is one of the basic rights of citizenship. …