Abstract
Struggles for Citizenship in Africa
Highlights
In the introduction, Manby provides an overview of key arguments in each of the chapters
Manby outlines and discusses various challenges to the quest for a holistic and inclusive definition of citizenship within the constitutional frameworks of African countries. Caught up in this problematic struggle to conceptualize citizenship are millions of people whose enjoyment of their otherwise inherent citizenship rights is curtailed by the accident of their identity - gender, ethnicity, race, or religion
The opening words, “we needed a war because we needed our identity cards...” (p. 1), quoted from a rebel fighter in Côte d‟Ivoire, highlight the frustrations of such people, rendered stateless and invisible by their inability to obtain citizenship documents
Summary
Manby provides an overview of key arguments in each of the chapters. Manby outlines and discusses various challenges to the quest for a holistic and inclusive definition of citizenship within the constitutional frameworks of African countries. Following the colonial blue print, independent African governments have continued to use (and abuse) identity cards, among other citizenship documents, to determine who is included, or excluded, in the enjoyment of citizenship rights and privileges (chapter 6).
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