A Brief History of Citizenship

An introductory survey of the history of the principles and practice of citizenship, based on the premise that the current conditions and debates about citizenship cannot be fully understood without a knowledge of the historical background. This is provided through an analytical narrative of the functioning of citizenship and the major theorists from Sparta to the present day, including quotations from key texts. In addition the reader is asked to consider, based on the historical evidence presented, how citizenship differs from other forms of socio-political identity.

In particular the commonly-held assumption that citizenship and nationality are synonymous is questioned on the grounds of historical experience and the difficulties it raises. Assuming no background knowledge, this is an ideal introduction to the history of citizenship. Key Features: *Fills a gap in the market by covering a neglected facet of the subject of Citizenship: its history *Comprehensive coverage, yet brief and easy-to-read *Combines narrative, analysis and quotations from key texts to offer a stimulating history of Citizenship