National Citizenship and Civil Marriage: Ascriptive and Consensual Models

Abstract

A contrast between the ascriptive and consensual models of citizenship allows for an interesting parallel between national citizenship and civil marriage as state institutions. First, ascriptive citizenship is based on birth or some immutable characteristic, while consensual citizenship is in varying degrees rooted in both the prospective member of the community and also the community itself. Second, although consensual citizenship is typically regarded as more compatible with liberal democratic values, I show that in marriage as in citizenship, the consensual model may facilitate exclusion as much as inclusion. Third, I examine the interface between the views of both enthusiasts and skeptics about same-sex marriage and relate these to conceptions of citizenship. Finally, because many still seek the formal statuses of national citizenship or civil marriage, greater attention to the ascriptive model will promote greater inclusiveness in a context of increasing diversity.