Conclusions: The Future of Citizenship

Abstract

A concluding chapter notes that the contributors all stress the centrality of the links between states, political communities, & sovereignty. Although nation-states were the main sites for freedoms, material security, & democratic decision making in the modern period, it is increasingly evident that they are no longer capable of providing the benefits they once did. Efforts are being made to discover new ways to organize membership in society & assess the benefits/duties associated with that membership. The search inevitably involves re-evaluating the values/ideals traditionally attached to citizenship, including basic freedoms, democratic participation, & commitments to equality. The authors address how current experiments in citizenship have realized or transformed the fundamental values of citizenship. They suggest that a return to national welfare states is not a viable option in light of current structural conditions & tendencies toward globalization, liberalization, & complexity. The absence of alternative social models with the political/economic power of markets/enterprises is noted, & suggestions are made for integrating mechanisms that have the potential of resolving some ambiguities in the current approach to citizenship. 6 References. J. Lindroth