Nationality, Citizenship and Ethno-Cultural Membership. Preferential Admission Policies of EU ...

256 Pages·2012·2.08 MB·English

Nationality, Citizenship and Ethno-Cultural
Membership. Preferential Admission Policies
of EU Countries
Costica Dumbrava

Thesis submitted for assessment with a view to
obtaining the degree of Doctor of Political and Social Sciences
of the European University Institute
Florence, December 2012
European University Institute
Department of Political and Social Sciences
Nationality, Citizenship and Ethno-Cultural Membership.
Preferential Admission Policies of EU Countries
Costica Dumbrava

Thesis submitted for assessment with a view to

obtaining the degree of Doctor of Political and Social Sciences

of the European University Institute

Examining Board

Prof. Rainer Bauböck (European University Institute)

Prof. Ruth Rubio Marín (European University Institute)

Prof. Joseph Carens (University of Toronto)

Prof. David Owen (University of Southampton)

© Costica Dumbrava 2012
No part of this thesis may be copied, reproduced or transmitted
without prior permission of the author

Dumbrava, Costica (2012), Nationality, Citizenship and Ethno-cultural Membership: Preferential admission policies of EU Countr ies
European University Institute DOI: 10.2870/72944
Abstract

In this thesis, I analyse justifications for preferential admission to citizenship based upon
ethno-cultural grounds. My point of departure is the puzzling observation that, in matters of
membership, states not only differentiate between citizens and foreigners, but also between
different categories of foreigners, as well as between different categories of citizens. In the
first part of this work, I explore possible justifications for boundaries of membership. I look
into arguments of justice, nationalism, liberalism and democracy in order to identify
principles for demarcating boundaries and for assessing various claims of
inclusion/exclusion. In the second part, I address more specific questions related to the
regulation of admission to citizenship. For this purpose, I examine a set of concrete rules of
citizenship presently enforced by 27 EU countries.
My proposal is to overcome the boundary problem by shifting the focus from the constitution
of the boundary towards policies of boundary making. I affirm the principle of general
openness of membership that is intended to provide normative corrections to the actual
structure of boundaries. Against the common view that perceives citizenship as a fruit that is
soft on the inside and hard on the outside, I argue that citizenship should be seen as soft on
the inside and even softer on the outside. In order to respond to different claims of admission,
I suggest breaking up the unitary concept of citizenship and distinguishing between legal,
political, and identity memberships. This proposal is not meant to weaken or devaluate
citizenship, but to reaffirm its essentially political value. By rejecting ideas of automatic and
inherited citizenship and by insisting upon democratic recognition and commitment to
political membership, I aim at recasting admission to citizenship as a transformative process
through which individuals not merely receive membership but become members in a political
community.

I
Dumbrava, Costica (2012), Nationality, Citizenship and Ethno-cultural Membership: Preferential admission policies of EU Countr ies
European University Institute DOI: 10.2870/72944
II
Dumbrava, Costica (2012), Nationality, Citizenship and Ethno-cultural Membership: Preferential admission policies of EU Countr ies
European University Institute DOI: 10.2870/72944
Acknowledgements

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Rainer Bauböck, for his help
and encouragement. His professional excellence and personal spark have been a true
inspiration for my endeavours.
I am grateful to my professors at the European University Institute who directed me and enthused
me. I should mention here the names of Peter Mair, Christine Chwaszcza and Michael Keating.
I am indebted to my colleagues from the EUDO Observatory on Citizenship for their guidance
and support. I am particularly thankful to Jo Shaw, Gerard-René de Groot, and Maarten Vink. I
am grateful to Iseult Honohan for her valuable comments on several parts of this dissertation.
I would like to thank the jury members: Ruth Rubio Marín, Joseph Carens and David Owen for
their willing reviews and helpful comments.
I am obliged to all my colleagues and friends who helped me and encouraged me throughout
these long years of searching. I am especially thankful to Ciarán J. Burke, Tomasz Gabor, Oleg
Bernaz, Marija Bartl, Roxana Bărbulescu, Andrei Stavilă, and Henio Hoyo. I should not forget
my football teammates from Squadra Fantastica and Loko-motiv Fiesole.
I would like to acknowledge the financial support of the European University Institute. I am
thankful to the whole EUI community that stood by me and my fellow Romanian researchers in
difficult times.
I am greatly indebted to my wife for her professional, moral and emotional support and for
her great patience at all times.

I dedicate this dissertation to Giulia.

III
Dumbrava, Costica (2012), Nationality, Citizenship and Ethno-cultural Membership: Preferential admission policies of EU Countr ies
European University Institute DOI: 10.2870/72944
IV
Dumbrava, Costica (2012), Nationality, Citizenship and Ethno-cultural Membership: Preferential admission policies of EU Countr ies
European University Institute DOI: 10.2870/72944
Table of Contents

1.
 INTRODUCTION
 ..........................................................................................................................................
 1

1.1
 NORMATIVE
 CITIZENSHIP
 ..........................................................................................................................................
 3

1.1.1
 “Inward-­‐Looking”
 Citizenship
 ........................................................................................................................
 3

1.1.2
 Citizenship
 and
 Exclusion
 ................................................................................................................................
 6

1.1.3
 Immigration
 and
 Citizenship
 ..........................................................................................................................
 7

1.1.4
 ‘Citizenhood’
 and
 Boundary
 ............................................................................................................................
 8

1.2
 ETHNO-­‐CULTURAL
 CITIZENSHIP
 ...........................................................................................................................
 11

1.2.1
 Citizenship
 De-­‐Nationalised
 .........................................................................................................................
 11

1.2.2
 Citizenship
 Re-­‐Nationalised
 .........................................................................................................................
 14

1.2.3
 Ethno-­‐Cultural
 Preferentialism
 ..................................................................................................................
 17

1.3
 THE
 STRUCTURE
 OF
 THE
 THESIS
 ...........................................................................................................................
 21

2.
 JUSTIFICATIONS
 FOR
 MEMBESRHIP(S)
 ...........................................................................................
 23

2.1
 BOUNDARIES
 OF
 JUSTICE
 .........................................................................................................................................
 25

2.1.1
 Boundaries
 of
 Cooperation
 ...........................................................................................................................
 26

2.1.2
 Boundaries
 of
 Coercion
 ..................................................................................................................................
 29

2.1.3
 Just
 Compensation
 ............................................................................................................................................
 31

2.1.4
 Justice
 and
 Membership
 .................................................................................................................................
 34

2.2
 NATIONALIST
 BOUNDARIES
 ....................................................................................................................................
 37

2.2.1
 The
 Morality
 of
 Nations
 .................................................................................................................................
 38

2.2.2
 National
 Self-­‐Determination
 .......................................................................................................................
 41

Walzer
 –
 The
 Right
 of
 Communities
 to
 Self-­‐Definition
 ..............................................................................................................
 41

Miller
 –
 Statist
 Nationality
 .....................................................................................................................................................................
 43

Tamir
 –
 The
 Individual
 Right
 to
 Culture
 ..........................................................................................................................................
 47

Gans
 –
 National-­‐Based
 Admission
 ......................................................................................................................................................
 48

2.2.3
 Nationalism
 and
 Membership
 .....................................................................................................................
 50

2.3
 LIBERAL
 AND
 DEMOCRATIC
 PROPOSALS
 ..............................................................................................................
 53

2.3.1
 Consent
 and
 Freedom
 of
 Association
 .......................................................................................................
 54

2.3.2
 All
 Affected
 Interests
 .......................................................................................................................................
 58

2.3.3
 Subjection
 to
 State
 Coercive
 Power
 ..........................................................................................................
 59

2.3.4
 Genuine
 Membership
 ......................................................................................................................................
 65

2.3.5
 Democratic
 Recognition
 ................................................................................................................................
 68

2.4
 CHAPTER
 CONCLUSIONS
 ..........................................................................................................................................
 75

3.
 NATIONALITY
 IN
 PUBLIC
 INTERNATIONAL
 LAW
 .........................................................................
 81

3.1
 NATIONALITY
 AND
 STATE
 SOVEREIGNTY
 ............................................................................................................
 83

3.1.1
 Nationality
 as
 Domaine
 Reservé
 ................................................................................................................
 83

3.1.2
 The
 Doctrine
 of
 Genuine
 Link
 ......................................................................................................................
 85

3.1.3
 The
 Principle
 of
 Avoiding
 Multiple
 Nationality
 ...................................................................................
 89

3.2
 NATIONALITY
 AND
 HUMAN
 RIGHTS
 ......................................................................................................................
 93

3.2.1
 The
 Principle
 of
 Avoiding
 Statelessness
 ..................................................................................................
 94

3.2.2
 The
 Principle
 of
 Non-­‐Discrimination
 .......................................................................................................
 95

3.3
 NATIONALITY,
 NATIONALISM
 AND
 MINORITY
 PROTECTION
 ........................................................................
 101

3.3.1
 The
 Principle
 of
 Self-­‐Determination
 ......................................................................................................
 101

3.3.2
 Nationality
 and
 the
 Protection
 of
 Ethno-­‐National
 Minorities
 ...................................................
 104

3.3.3
 Kin-­‐States
 and
 Kin
 Minorities
 ..................................................................................................................
 107

3.4
 MEMBER
 STATE
 NATIONALITY
 AND
 THE
 EUROPEAN
 UNION
 .......................................................................
 113

3.4.1
 EU
 Citizenship
 and
 Member
 State
 Nationality
 .................................................................................
 113

3.4.2
 Solidarity
 among
 Member
 States
 ...........................................................................................................
 117

3.4.3
 Respect
 for
 National
 Identities
 ................................................................................................................
 118

3.5
 CHAPTER
 CONCLUSIONS
 .......................................................................................................................................
 121

V
Dumbrava, Costica (2012), Nationality, Citizenship and Ethno-cultural Membership: Preferential admission policies of EU Countr ies
European University Institute DOI: 10.2870/72944
4.
 BIRTHRIGHT
 CITIZENSHIP
 ...............................................................................................................
 125

4.1
 RULES
 OF
 BIRTHRIGHT
 CITIZENSHIP
 IN
 THE
 EU27
 .......................................................................................
 127

4.1.1
 Rules
 of
 Ius
 Sanguinis
 ..................................................................................................................................
 127

4.1.2
 Rules
 of
 Ius
 Soli
 ...............................................................................................................................................
 128

4.2
 BIRTHRIGHT
 STATUS
 AND
 LEGAL
 PROTECTION
 ..............................................................................................
 131

4.2.1
 Arbitrary
 Status
 .............................................................................................................................................
 131

4.2.2
 Legal
 Protection
 .............................................................................................................................................
 133

4.3
 BIRTHRIGHT
 STATUS
 AND
 POLITICAL
 MEMBERSHIP
 .....................................................................................
 139

4.3.1
 Liberal
 Consent
 ...............................................................................................................................................
 139

4.3.2
 Democratic
 Continuity
 ................................................................................................................................
 145

4.4
 ETHNO-­‐CULTURAL
 BIRTHRIGHT
 CITIZENSHIP
 ................................................................................................
 149

4.4.1
 Historical
 Perspective
 ..................................................................................................................................
 149

4.4.2
 Perpetual
 Ius
 Sanguinis
 Abroad
 ..............................................................................................................
 150

4.4.3
 Absent
 or
 Inadequate
 Ius
 Soli
 ..................................................................................................................
 152

4.5
 CHAPTER
 CONCLUSIONS
 .......................................................................................................................................
 155

5.
 NATURALISATION
 ................................................................................................................................
 157

5.1
 RULES
 OF
 REGULAR
 NATURALISATION
 IN
 EU27
 ............................................................................................
 159

5.1.1
 Residence
 ...........................................................................................................................................................
 159

5.1.2
 Multiple
 Citizenship
 ......................................................................................................................................
 159

5.1.3
 Knowledge
 and
 Skills
 ...................................................................................................................................
 160

5.1.4
 Self-­‐Sufficiency
 and
 Good
 Character
 .....................................................................................................
 161

5.2
 SOCIO-­‐CULTURAL
 INTEGRATION
 ........................................................................................................................
 163

5.2.1
 Turning
 Residents
 into
 Citizens
 ...............................................................................................................
 165

5.2.2
 Making
 Loyal
 Citizens
 ..................................................................................................................................
 166

5.2.3
 Making
 Skilled
 Citizens
 ...............................................................................................................................
 168

5.2.4
 Making
 Worthy
 Citizens
 .............................................................................................................................
 171

5.2.5
 Welcoming
 Ethno-­‐Cultural
 Siblings
 ......................................................................................................
 173

5.3
 FROM
 INTEGRATION
 TO
 RECOGNITION
 .............................................................................................................
 177

5.4
 CHAPTER
 CONCLUSIONS
 .......................................................................................................................................
 183

6.
 PREFERENTIAL
 ADMISSION
 .............................................................................................................
 185

6.1
 RULES
 OF
 PREFERENTIAL
 ADMISSION
 IN
 EU27
 .............................................................................................
 187

6.1.1
 Former
 Citizens
 and
 Descendants
 ..........................................................................................................
 188

6.1.2
 Citizens
 of
 Particular
 States
 ......................................................................................................................
 191

6.1.3
 Ethno-­‐Cultural
 Relatives
 ............................................................................................................................
 193

6.2
 ETHNO-­‐CULTURAL
 PREFERENTIALISM
 .............................................................................................................
 197

6.2.1
 Political
 Self-­‐Definition
 ...............................................................................................................................
 198

6.2.2
 Duties
 of
 Justice
 ..............................................................................................................................................
 199

6.2.3
 National
 Survival
 ...........................................................................................................................................
 202

6.3
 EXTERNAL
 CITIZENSHIP
 .......................................................................................................................................
 211

6.3.1
 Citizenship
 Equality
 ......................................................................................................................................
 217

6.3.2
 Special
 Contribution
 .....................................................................................................................................
 218

6.3.3
 Special
 Ties
 .......................................................................................................................................................
 221

6.4
 CHAPTER
 CONCLUSIONS
 .......................................................................................................................................
 223

7.
 CONCLUSIONS
 ........................................................................................................................................
 227

REFERENCES
 ...............................................................................................................................................
 233

VI
Dumbrava, Costica (2012), Nationality, Citizenship and Ethno-cultural Membership: Preferential admission policies of EU Countr ies
European University Institute DOI: 10.2870/72944
1. INTRODUCTION

Rules of citizenship distinguish between members and non-members of particular political
communities. While recognising certain individuals as citizens, these rules turn all others into
foreigners. However, rules of citizenship do not only differentiate between citizens and non-
citizens; they also differentiate between different categories of citizens and foreigners. In
particular circumstances, certain categories of citizens are deemed worthier than others to
uphold the status of citizenship. By virtue of certain personal characteristics or of some
special relationship with the state, certain foreigners are held ‘dearer’, worthier, or more ready
for citizenship than others. In these cases, the division is not between citizens and non-
citizens, but rather between citizens and lesser citizens, and between foreigners and lesser
foreigners.
Citizenship does not only help to define membership anew; it also works as a device for the
recognition or confirmation of membership for people who are allegedly in a special
relationship with the community of members. In this respect, those persons who are like
citizens in some essential ways are recognised and accepted as citizens. This sort of
preferential admission can take different forms. A socialist state may recognize as citizens
only those individuals who are commitment to socialism. A theocratic state may reserve
membership only to individuals of its particular faith. A state that defines itself essentially as
an ethno-national community may ask new members to prove that they share or celebrate
some fundamental ethno-cultural features. In this thesis, I focus on one particular type of
preferential admission to citizenship, namely preferential admission based on ethno-cultural
grounds. The key question is: what are the justifications for ethno-cultural preferences in
admission to citizenship?
I address the issue of preferential admission to citizenship in the light of both general
normative principles and specific legal regulations. First, I look into general normative
principles that inform our thinking regarding citizenship and admission. Second, I discuss
several rules of admission that are likely to amount to ethno-cultural preferentialism. My
intention is to bring the theoretical and the empirical in conversation with one another. After a
discussion of theoretical arguments concerning admission to citizenship, I develop a
comparative study of citizenship rules in 27 member states of the European Union (EU27).
By assessing concrete rules of citizenship against general theoretical principles, I arrive at
several normative standards that sketch an applied theory of admission to citizenship.
1
Dumbrava, Costica (2012), Nationality, Citizenship and Ethno-cultural Membership: Preferential admission policies of EU Countr ies
European University Institute DOI: 10.2870/72944
In this chapter, I first discuss the concept of citizenship by exposing its inclusionary-
exclusionary dialectic. Then, I introduce the issue of ethno-cultural preferentialism in
admission to citizenship.

2
Dumbrava, Costica (2012), Nationality, Citizenship and Ethno-cultural Membership: Preferential admission policies of EU Countr ies
European University Institute DOI: 10.2870/72944