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The meaning of citizenship remains the ultimate test of who belongs in a country

World 1 source 1 country 🔦 Under-reported 53m ago

# Citizenship Remains Central to National Belonging

The question of citizenship has emerged as a fundamental measure of who belongs within a country's borders. This reassessment challenges earlier assumptions about globalisation's impact on national identity and state sovereignty.

Globalisation was expected to diminish the importance of borders and territorial boundaries in an increasingly interconnected world. However, the actual trajectory has demonstrated the opposite trend. Rather than rendering citizenship obsolete, the forces of globalisation have underscored its continued relevance and significance in determining membership within national communities.

The renewed emphasis on citizenship reflects broader tensions between international integration and national belonging. As global flows of people, capital, and ideas have intensified, questions about who qualifies for citizenship rights and protections have become more urgent rather than less pressing. This development suggests that despite interconnected global systems, the legal and social frameworks governing citizenship remain among the most critical mechanisms through which countries define their political communities and enforce the boundaries of national membership.

In-depth summary · AI, neutral
Read the full story at the source Daily Maverick (ZA) · ZA