300661 Citizenship inside and outside the borders: an introduction to theories (S) (SoSe 2021)

A common topic in political and academic debates is to define who is a citizen and therefore, who has the right to come into, live in, work, study and participate in social and political affairs of a specific society. This course focuses on the complex articulations of (un)making boundaries by citizenship and its ability to contribute to the formation or elimination of social inequalities inside and beyond the state borders. In three parts, this course introduces a broad introduction and overview of influential perspectives and the current discussions on the various issues of citizenship in different contexts. The first part deals with the conceptual clarifications and answers what it means to be a citizen. Furthermore, it addresses the general understanding and evolution of the concept of citizenship. The second part explores the different theoretical approaches to citizenship. And in the last part, the opportunities and challenges posed by citizenship at the individual, national, and international levels in different places will be discussed.
Besides teaching material, this course works to stimulate students to investigate and interpret their own personal or observed experiences, and in this way, it aims to provide students both theoretical and practical skills for identifying and analyzing relevant issues to citizenship such as migration, statelessness, human rights, national relations, and policies, etc.
The seminar will be offered in the English language.