Strategic citizens of America

Transnational Inequalities and Transformation of Citizenship

Bibliographic Data

ID2147117
AuthorsEvren Balta (0000-0001-6364-4426, Yıldız Technical University), Özlem Altan‐olcay (0000-0003-0177-2726, Koç University, corresponding author), Özlem Altan-Olcay
Year2016
Volume39
Issue6
Pages939-957
Publication date2016-05-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueEthnic and Racial Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0141-9870 • E-ISSN: 1466-4356
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/01419870.2015.1103882
OpenAlexW2173883886
LanguageEN
Citations received30
References cited35

This article analyses the process whereby 'natural' citizens of one country mobilize their resources so that their children receive by birthright, the citizenship of a rich liberal democracy. Utilizing the case of Turkish upper classes, who give birth in the USA in order to benefit from the jus soli principle, we trace the emergence of new inequalities at the intersection of multiple citizenship regimes. We show that, by mobilizing resources in markets of health care, travel, and real estate, those with means can acquire US citizenship for their children in expectation of future benefits. Because they are able to access 'valuable' citizenships, these actors can strategically combine privileges within nation states with inequalities between citizenship regimes at the global level for the children. Their differential access to citizenship enhances the gate-keeping functions of citizenship. Based on these observations, we draw an analogy between citizenship and property regimes, understood broadly

Citizenship · Democracy · Economics · Good citizenship · Inequality · Law and economics · Order (exchange · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Turkish · Law · Migration and Labor Dynamics · Migration, Refugees, and Integration · Turkey's Politics and Society