Phenomenology of the stop: street-level bureaucracy and everyday citizenship of marginalized groups

Abstract

Limited access to public space for marginalized groups remains an understudied theme in citizenship research in public administration. To address this important research gap, using ethnographic research methods, this article investigates the influence of street-level policing on the everyday citizenship of the Khawaja Sira – a marginalized genderqueer group in Pakistan. Everyday citizenship is conceptualized as the inalienable, equal right of every citizen to be present, visible, and mobile in the public space of a polity. The discussion highlights that through selective implementation of law, hyper-surveillance and moral policing, frontline workers can contribute to curtailing the citizenship of marginalized social groups. Theoretical and practical implications that underscore the intersections of mobility, everyday spaces and administrator–citizen interactions are also discussed.Points for practitioners• Through selective implementation of law, hyper-surveillance and moral policing, frontline workers can contribute to curtailing the citizenship of marginalized social groups. • Access to public space is often disproportionately denied to marginalized social groups like the members of the LGBT community. • The frontline workers of various departments should be educated about the unique identity and requirements of marginalized groups to improve street-level service delivery.