What does it take to be a citizen? A historical analysis of citizenship, from classical Athens to present-day Europe

In classical Athens there used to be a clear separation between those considered citizens, women, and foreigners. This separation used to be recognized and formally accepted in society. The notion of ‘citizen’ was used to legitimize the fact that a small minority of people living in the territory of Athens at that time held exclusive decision-making power. This legitimization was mainly founded on a cultural level but also had ramifications in the social and political realms. In present-day Europe, as well as in classical Athens, people of different social, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds coexist in close proximity, but interact differently. Distinctions between citizens and non-citizens are still present, but their characteristics have changed, and although the differences might appear to be less clear-cut, it is not always the case. In present-day Europe, with waves of migration and populism on the rise, people are trying to define what it means to be a citizen of a country....Show moreIn classical Athens there used to be a clear separation between those considered citizens, women, and foreigners. This separation used to be recognized and formally accepted in society. The notion of ‘citizen’ was used to legitimize the fact that a small minority of people living in the territory of Athens at that time held exclusive decision-making power. This legitimization was mainly founded on a cultural level but also had ramifications in the social and political realms. In present-day Europe, as well as in classical Athens, people of different social, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds coexist in close proximity, but interact differently. Distinctions between citizens and non-citizens are still present, but their characteristics have changed, and although the differences might appear to be less clear-cut, it is not always the case. In present-day Europe, with waves of migration and populism on the rise, people are trying to define what it means to be a citizen of a country. Although this notion is more distinctly defined from a political perspective, the socio-cultural aspect is not so clear-cut. Following intense migration fluxes in Europe during the past century, and the last decade in particular, the notions of ‘citizen’ and ‘foreigner’ have been questioned repeatedly. Therefore, it might be relevant and useful to look back in history at examples of these two notions, and examine the factors that constituted them and ways in which they were different. In doing so it will be easier to locate patterns in History that have already proven to be harmful for the coexistence of different groups of people within the same territory. Therefore, the purpose and driving question of the present thesis is ‘how can citizenship in classical Athens help us consider the contemporary inclusion and exclusion of individuals in a cultural, social and political sense?’Show less

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What does it take to be a citizen? A historical analysis of citizenship, from classical Athens to present-day Europe