Citizenship in Permacrisis: Policies, Politics and Citizen Behaviour

The apparent permanence of international socio-political crises has put questions of citizenship policies, politics, and citizen behaviour at the forefront of scholarly attention, public debates and policymaking. Recent challenges, such as the war in Ukraine, the Covid-19 pandemic, and mass protests in Iran and China have raised questions about the socio-economic and political benefits and safeguards citizenship offers to the individual. At the same time, the Black Lives Matter movement and the pro-refugee protests across Europe challenge the existing framework of contemporary citizenship regimes, which are usually confined to nation states, while also demanding rights for previously marginalised or excluded groups of people. Populist and far-right inspired mobilisations have also emerged, seeking to preserve the homogenous notions and practices of citizenship. Democracy is under pressure, and some regimes weaken the democratic rights of their citizens. Citizenship is increasingly controversial, as are educational efforts to promote it. These developments have spurred a growing scholarly interest in the evolution – or rolling back – of citizenship policies, rights, and identities, as well as the ways in which different groups and individuals respond with activism, resistance, or apathy.