The Shifting Parameters of Nationality
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reason why settler states opted for ius soli.99 Ius sanguinis systems see citizenry
rather as a community of descent, which builds on the assumption that kinship guarantees commitment, allegiance and loyalty.100 Whereas ius sanguinis is the system
that is most widely used throughout the world,101 increasingly it is complemented
by ius soli elements, so as to attempt to include migrants in national community.102
In regard to the naturalisation requirements, the question is always whether the
requirements are high enough, so as to make sure that persons acquiring nationality have the requisite attachment and loyalty, without being too high. In the latter
regard, political theory about the just society emphasize that long-term residents
should have the opportunity to become full members of the polity.103 It has been
noted that there is a pendulum back and forth in terms of requirements for migrant
naturalisation, a movement to facilitate naturalisation is followed by sharpening
requirements again, more particularly because of concerns about failing integration and cohesion.104 The question of dual nationality also comes up here as states
can require as precondition for naturalisation that one relinquishes one’s existing
nationality.105
4.2 Rights and Obligations Contingent on Nationality
This part will mainly discuss the developments that have taken place in terms of
rights that are contingent on nationality. While important shifts have taken place
in this respect, in that more and more rights have been detached from nationality,
the following analysis will demonstrate that the rights that are key to membership
in the state are still reserved for nationals. This speaks to the on-going importance
of having a nationality and a right to nationality as well as the fight against statelessness. Underscoring the centrality of equality among citizens, and the intrinsic
link between citizenship and equal rights, is the case law of international courts that
become ever more critical about differentiations in terms of rights between birth
right and naturalized citizens.106 It is in any event important to contrast the promise
of equal rights that citizenship holds with the reality of often deep-seated discrimination and marginalisation of particular groups of citizens.107
99
Saffran (1997), p. 314.
Brubaker (1992), p. 123.
101
For further information see Honohan and Rougier (2018) in this special issue.
102
De Schutter and Ypi (2015), p. 240. However, the increasing integration concerns with third and
fourth generation of migrants does lead to more demanding civic integration and related naturalization
requirements: Joppke (2007), pp. 39-41.
103
De Schutter and Ypi (2015), p. 238.
104
Joppke (2007), pp. 43-44; Baldi and Goodman (2015), pp. 1154–1155.
105
See Wautelet (2018) in this special issue.
106
Inter alia, European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) Biao v. Denmark, Application no. 38,590/10,
24 May 2016; ACHPR, Modise v. Botswana, Communications 97/93, 6 November 2000; ACHPR, Open
Society Justice initiative v. Cote d’Ivoire, Communications 318/06, 27 May 2016, paras. 99-104.
107
The Roma are a prime example in this respect: Vermeersch (2014), pp. 481–482.
100
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