Citizenship: The Rise and Fall of a Modern Concept

by Andreas Fahrmeir

In this book Andreas Fahrmeir provides a much-needed historical perspective on contemporary debates about immigration and the nature of citizenship. By tracing the origins of citizenship in four Western countries (Britain, France, Germany, and the United States) from c.1700 to the present, he convincingly demonstrates the contingency and changeability of the concept.

The emergence of these modern nation-states brought a deceptively simple opposition of “citizen” versus “alien,” in contrast to the complex relationships between individuals and communities in ancien régime societies, Fahrmeir argues. He charts the demise of traditional ways of distinguishing insiders from outsiders; discusses the relation of political participation, economic privileges, and social rights to legal citizenship; and considers whether state citizenship remains a relevant concept in the circumstances of today.

320 pages, Hardcover

First published February 19, 2008

Reviews

[Patrick · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am very interested in this subject and there is solid information to be found here, but it must be said that this is the dryest book I have ever read. Reading it was essentially reading the author's notecards - nothing was done (or attempted) to shape them into a book. I am more than a little puzzled that the august Yale University Press would publish this.

[Cristian Brouwer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This isn't the kind of historical narrative I admire. Fahrmeir provides a lot of facts without any coherent or consistent narrative. It is also written in a dry style and was quite unpleasant to read.
Despite the fact that this book could be quite useful (in order to check facts for example), it is not the best in its genre and reading it is a waste of time.