The ideals of ‘equal citizenship’ and ‘the equality of citizens’ (and states) lie at the heart of formal paradigms of citizenship, especially when we think about it as a membership concept. Yet the type of equal citizenship trumpeted in many constitutions across the world remains elusive, not least because, as a boundary condition for access to the polity, it is inevitable that citizenship must exclude as much (or as many people) as it includes. Inequality has long been a pervasive condition of citizenship, but it is arguable that this has become even more evident in recent years, in tandem with a noticeable rise of nationalism and populism, infecting many national citizenship regimes. Yet equality is not only a challenge for citizenship within national polities, but also in the context of interstate relations at the regional and global levels. If states are not equal, then how can their citizens have equal rights within the global system?
In this webinar, we will explore the equality paradox at the heart of citizenship, looking at it from an interdisciplinary and trans-national perspective, focusing on both the theoretical frameworks that help us to understand equality and non-discrimination as legal and political principles and on the societal conditions that contextualise experiences of inequality and injustice for different groups of citizens.
The webinar will be organised in a roundtable format, with four speakers and the convenor of the webinar, Jo Shaw. Through the discussion we aim to approach the question whether inequality rather than equality is the predominant feature of citizenship. There will be time for Q&A from the audience.
To receive the ZOOM link to attend the webinar please REGISTER ONLINE by 22 February.
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