Statelessness Working Paper Series No. 2015/02 define their identity through this dialectic process in relation to other people and groups corresponding to multiple social environments. This mutually re-enforcing and complex process of identity construction operates through an endless mode of bargaining, which will be elaborated in chapter six. With respect to gender discrimination and citizenship in Nepal, it is significant that women and their offspring can develop their identity through external factors, including membership rules and socially expected behaviour, as well as internal factors, meaning ‘socially distinguishing features that a person takes a special pride in or views as unchangeable but socially consequential’22. They can be mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, brothers and sisters, members of a religious group, caste, profession or geographic origin. Citizenship and the related rights and duties that comprise social, economic and political aspects of people’s daily life add to these (self-)perceptions, and conversely a lack of citizenship limits personal freedoms and the potential of expression in the private and public sphere. This is exemplified by the fact that mothers, no matter whether they hold citizenship or are stateless, face very high burdens and further discrimination as well stigmatization if they alone want to ensure that their offspring will receive citizenship, because of their traditional and social positioning, underlying cultural assumptions and the institutional practice of officials, who interpret law according to their convenience and discriminatory traditions. Women who are prevented from passing on their citizenship to their offspring as well as their sons and daughters themselves suffer under a conditioned private and public sphere, shaping their individual perception of their own identity. It impedes them from discovering their full social, political and economic capacities, and hence, to pro-actively contribute within both spheres. In this regard, it is important to stress that people belong to hierarchic and overlapping identity groups23. The members of socially, economically and politically dominant identity groups, for example men, fathers, male officials or political elites, establish certain assumptions about less powerful identity groups. Although it should be stressed that some women are born into or enter dominant identity groups, including political elites. This intersectionality24 can result into a relatively powerful positioning with respect to other Nepali women in the society but also into a personal dilemma because the women have to deal with and balance different social status and identities that can be perceived as contradictory. In order to meet the dominant groups’ needs and interests, cultural assumptions are transformed into a normative system that also influences the public interest. On this basis, a patriarchal mind-set and practice can be formed that again result in certain traditions as well as cultures. Moreover, when those assumptions materialise there is a high risk that they find an institutional manifestation in national laws. In the case of Nepal they influenced the new Constitution, as well as its implementation and interpretation, especially with regard to citizenship. In this manner, self-perceptions, experiences and actions of women are shaped and conditioned in the public and private spheres. This results in the fact that they are not allowed to explore their full potential and abilities without being citizens. It should be pointed out that women also have to face discrimination by gender through their belonging to certain ethnic groups, castes or social classes. They are placed in a subordinate position based on the patriarchal practice and culture which can limit their identity formation. 22 Fearon, J. D. (1999). What is identity (as we now use the word)?. Retrieved 10.08.2015 from http://web.stanford.edu/group/fearon-research/cgi-bin/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/What-is-Identity-as-wenow-use-the-word-.pdf 23 Dovidio, J.F., Saguy. T. and Shnabel, N. (2009). Cooperation and Conflict within Groups: Bridging Intragroup and Intergroup Processes, in: Journal of Social Issues, Vol. 65, No. 2, 2009, pp. 429-449. 24 Deaux, K. (2001). Social Identity. Retrieved 30.10.2015 from https://www.utexas.edu/courses/stross/ant393b_files/ARTICLES/identity.pdf 5