External Citizenship in European Union Countries

C. Dumbrava*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Citizenship laws often contain provisions regarding preferential acquisition of citizenship by certain categories of foreigners, such as provisions that allow for the possibility to acquire citizenship without the obligation to reside in the country. The practice of external acquisition of citizenship poses important challenges to the modern paradigmatic view of territorially bounded citizenship. This article surveys the legal rules allowing for external acquisition of citizenship in EU countries, and examines three justifications for such rules, namely, the principles of just restitution of citizenship, democratic continuity and national solidarity. The article argues that the principle of just restitution of citizenship offers the strongest, albeit partial, contextual justification for external acquisition of citizenship.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2340-2360
Number of pages21
JournalEthnic and Racial Studies
Volume37
Issue number3
Early online date20 Aug 2013
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2014

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