Belonging Denied: Citizenship Revocation and Statelessness as Human Rights Deprivation
Edited by
Salvador Santino F. Regilme, Jr. Associate Professor of International Relations, Institute for History Chair, MA in International Relations Program, Humanities Faculty Leiden University, The Netherlands [email protected]
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR, 2020) reported that there are at least 10 million stateless persons in the world. In the United States, the Trump administration (2017-2021) intensified its denaturalization efforts, which systematically targeted poor people of color. In Myanmar, nearly 600,000 individuals living in the Rakhine state remain stateless on the basis of the current law, which effectively denies citizenship to members of Muslim minority groups. In the Ivory Coast, approximately 700,000 Burkinabe individuals remain ineligible for Ivorian citizenship, while Europe has around 600,000 stateless individuals. There are many factors that contribute to statelessness, including state succession; nationality laws that are unclear or discriminatory; citizenship revocation, displacement, or forced migration; being born to a stateless parent; not having official birth documentation; or not meeting the criteria to obtain citizenship. In the contemporary international system, statelessness and citizenship revocation should be considered an assault on the dignity of the human person. Despite the widespread occurrence of citizenship revocation and statelessness, such dehumanizing practices remain relatively marginalized in mainstream scholarship and policy agendas in global governance institutions.
Considering the global context, this project raises the following questions:
Why have citizenship revocations and statelessness remained widespread in the contemporary international system?
How do citizenship revocation policies impact different groups, particularly those who are already marginalized or vulnerable?
How can human rights scholars, advocates, and policymakers address citizenship revocation and ensure that individuals are not arbitrarily deprived of citizenship?
The key goal of this edited book is to examine the causes and consequences of statelessness and citizenship revocation from global/transnational, human-rights-oriented, and transdisciplinary perspectives. This volume examines the legal, political, and socioeconomic dimensions of citizenship revocation and its impact on marginalized individuals and communities. Considering the multifaceted nature of denaturalization programs and statelessness, this edited volume seeks contributions from scholars from the social sciences (politics, sociology, anthropology, etc.), humanities (philosophy, history, cultural studies, area studies, geography, etc.), law, policy practitioners, and advocates of human rights.
Interested chapter contributors are welcome to propose chapters that showcase the wide spectrum of cutting-edge research currently conducted on the global phenomena of citizenship revocation and statelessness. This anthology seeks to maintain a balance among theoretical chapter proposals, empirically oriented case studies, and policy-oriented contributions. Possible topics may address the following themes but are definitely not limited to:
Normative Foundations of Citizenship: This theme reflects on the philosophical and ethical underpinnings of citizenship and membership in a political community, thereby probing how those topics intersect with the contentious politics of revocation and statelessness.
Historical Evolution of Citizenship: Tracing historical patterns, this theme reveals how citizenship revocation and statelessness have evolved across different eras and regions and how its transformation over time shapes the contemporary politics of citizenship revocation.
Legal Dimensions of Citizenship Changes: Building on normative theories, this theme delves into legal frameworks and principles as well as legislative initiatives, including international conventions and national laws, which shape the political practices of citizenship revocation and statelessness.
Transnational and Global Institutions and Citizenship Challenges: This theme examines the role of global and transnational institutions (intergovernmental, civil society, and private/market), revealing their impact on citizenship revocation and statelessness within the realm of international governance.
Migration Politics, Refugee Law, and Statelessness: Highlighting the close link between statelessness, migration, and refugee status, this theme focuses on legal and political frameworks and practices governing refugees and stateless individuals.
Children’s Rights in Citizenship Politics: This theme emphasizes the vulnerability of children to citizenship revocation and statelessness contexts, exploring the implications for their dignity and future.
Identity: Race, Gender, Disability Rights, and Politics: Addressing identity dynamics, this theme scrutinizes the relationship between race, gender, and disability politics vis-à-vis citizenship revocation and statelessness, highlighting disparities among different groups.
Material Inequalities and Political Impact: Examining socio-economic dimensions, this theme analyzes how citizenship revocation and statelessness contribute to or result from material inequalities.
Case Studies: Citizenship Changes in Context: Through specific examples, this theme offers real-world insights into the implications of citizenship revocation and statelessness in diverse contexts.
Citizenship Realities Across Regions: Building on case studies, this theme compares and contrasts citizenship revocation dynamics and the state of statelessness in various world regions, thereby uncovering regional trends.
Statelessness in Popular Culture: This theme explores portrayals of statelessness and citizenship revocation in popular media, potentially engaging a wider audience in discussions.
Global Trends and Citizenship in the War on Terror: This theme links citizenship issues to broader geopolitics, investigating how the US-led global ‘war on terror’ and its consequent forms rationalize and transform citizenship revocation, particularly affecting marginalized groups.
COVID-19’s Impact on Citizenship: This theme examines how the pandemic intersects with citizenship revocation and statelessness, considering its effects on vulnerable populations' citizenship status.
Submission Guidelines:
If you are interested in contributing to this project, please submit the extended abstract (max. 500 to 750 words) of your proposed chapter and a short biographical note (max. 150 words) in a single-page Word document by December 15, 2023, to [email protected] (email title: Citizenship_abstract_LAST NAME). Please include your permanent contact details in the document. The abstract must clearly state the intended analytical goals and empirical/theoretical coverage of the proposed chapter and its intended core arguments while clarifying how the proposed chapter specifically addresses the central questions of the edited volume.
The targeted academic publisher will be chosen after the abstracts are selected, but full chapters (8000 words maximum, inclusive of references, using APA referencing style) must be submitted on or before November 29, 2024. Accepted chapter proposals and drafts will undergo editorial and external peer reviews (commissioned by the publisher).
Timeline
Abstract submission deadline: December 15, 2023
Release of results - selected chapter proposals: February 16, 2024
Initial chapter draft (7,000-8000 words max.): August 30, 2024