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In defense birthright citizenship
Carens, Joseph H.
Carens, Joseph H.
Author
Abstract
This chapter seeks to rehabilitate the reputation of birthright citizenship. It explains why assigning citizenship on the basis of birth is not only an acceptable procedure but indeed one that is morally required in a liberal democratic state. It illustrates that the fundamental problem with respect to the relationship between citizenship on the one hand and international inequality and constraints on human freedom on the other is not that individuals are given an initial citizenship at birth, but rather that they are not free to change that citizenship later by moving to another state and taking up its citizenship if they wish to do so. The central claim here is that justice requires that contemporary liberal democratic states grant citizenship at birth to the descendants of settled immigrants.
Keywords
birthright citizenship, liberal democratic states, justice, inequality, freedom, immigrants
Date
2016
Type
Book chapter
Journal
Book
Migration in political theory: The ethics of movement and membership
Volume
Issue
Page Range
1-26
Article Number
ACU Department
Institute for Social Justice
Faculty of Education and Arts
Faculty of Education and Arts
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Open Access Status
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Controlled