Abstract
Access to “citizenship” – the guarantee of rights between an individual and a state – and the rights associated with citizenship have always been hotly contested. Ancient Greek warriors and peasants, Roman patricians and plebeians, fought violent battles to define and redefine citizenship.1 There was never a long period where the institution was static. In countless states in the contemporary moment – Canada, Sri Lanka, states of the former U.S.S.R etc – individuals and groups strive for a guarantee of the state’s commitment to its “obligation to protect” them. Although these are vastly distant struggles, both spatially and ideologically, citizenship is a common denominator in discussions of their particular issues. Historically in Africa, citizenship has been more an instrument of political contestation than a vehicle for human rights.2 There are two senses in which I use citizenship in this paper. The first of these types, which I call national civic citizenship, has been since the eighteenth century recognized as located in the nation state. Civic citizenship implies a formal, predominantly legal relationship between the individual and state, which creates stated rights and obligations at
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: African Journal of International and Comparative Law
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
