As someone who is considering naturalising as a US citizen stories like these make me dubious. It is seemingly arbitrary bureaucratism. I am often nervous crossing borders for the same reason, such as the Mexican border recently. I don't have the entitlement of nationalism any longer, I exist in a slightly post-national and trans-national legal form. (more)
One of the issues nation-states are going to have to face is an increasing number of the active global labor market who are disenfranchised. The nation-state view of citizenship is pretty myopic and Australia just had another round of legislation where more were prohibited from democratic involvement such that the AEC is better at purging the rolls than adding voters. But what to do about diasporans of all nations that full economic actors including taxpayers in the countries they work in but have no democratic expression there or at home? (more)
In his military campaigns into Gaul, Julius Caesar used Roman citizenship through service in the Legion as a means to introduce Roman property law; and more importantly displace Celtic tribal law. Citizenship became a mechanism for establishing Roman legal control in conquered Gaul. (more)
Even the broadest definition of democracy cites some form of accountability of power to the citizenry as a whole. But how can there be accountability in the face of widespread apathy? How can a state be democratic if its citizens do not exercise democracy?
In responce I propose five steps for every citizen who wants their "democracy" to be democratic.
(more)
Andrew Bartlett in a speech
points to a political response to citizenship being hopelessly one way - ie dominated by the state.
(more)
The Australian Citizenship Act was changed in 2002 so
that Australia did not punish those who took citizenship in other countries
by taking away their Australian citizenship.
(more)
It is hard to view the speech for the second reading of the Citizenship Bill by Ian Campbell and not see it is as legislation which elevates the state above the individual.
(more)
Peter Costello makes
a bid to claim the diaspora is still Australian
;
This song is something of an anthem for those Australians now recognized in Hollywood or on Broadway or Wall Street and other centres of the arts or business around the world. There are many Australians who live overseas because their talent or ability or drive has taken them on to the world stage. ... This does not mean they have turned their back on their country. For many of them the love of country grows stronger through this process. Apart from anything else, living overseas gives them a comparison to measure all the benefits that Australia brings.(more)
The
Southern Cross Group [SCG]
is an advocacy group for the Australian Diaspora. The Citizen Bill affects diasporans very closely, exposed as they are to the coal-face of nation-state visas, residency and citizenship demands. The Southern Cross Group recently sent out an email with information on the Citizen Bill and urging diasporans to make submissions to the Senate Inquiry.
(more)
