Strategic citizenship: negotiating membership in the age of dual nationality

Immigrant meanings of citizenship: mobility, stability, and recognition

“…Statistical studies of naturalization have shown that immigrants from medium-or underdeveloped countries of origin are more likely to naturalize than immigrants from highly developed countries, as the perceived pay-off, in terms of rights and benefits, are greater (Vink, Prokic-Breuer, and Dronkers 2013). In line with these statistical findings, in-depth, qualitative studies have demonstrated that immigrants tend to frame citizenship acquisition in their country of residence as 'strategic', 'instrumental' (Harpaz and Mateos 2018) or 'pragmatic' (Mavroudi 2008). Harpaz and Mateos (2018, 2) argue that 'the global hierarchy of nationalities provides the context within which individuals pursue a second citizenship'.…”

“…I will answer this by problematizing two assumptions that undergird the concept of strategic citizenship. First, strategic naturalization, as Harpaz and Mateos (2018) conceptualizes it, is based on those immigrants choose to acquire a second citizenship in their country of residence, in order to gain added benefits. This argument may be applicable to the Russian interviewees in this study, who already held a valuable citizenship and in some cases were allowed to hold dual citizenship (despite the single citizenship principle).…”

“…Global mobility is arguably the greatest material benefit of acquiring a citizenship in a Western country (Harpaz and Mateos 2018). Securitization post 9/11, concerns about visa over-stayers and irregular migration, and anxieties over the influx of 'bogus' asylum seekers have led to comprehensive efforts to control mobility in Western states (Coutin 2015;de Genova and Peutz 2010;Mau 2010).…”

“…In the past 10-15 years, however, a growing body of research addressing how immigrants experience, value and attribute meaning to citizenship and naturalization has emerged to fill this lacuna. In-depth qualitative research has demonstrated that immigrants' decisions to naturalize often are made on 'strategic', 'instrumental' (Harpaz and Mateos 2018) and 'pragmatic' (Mavroudi 2008) grounds. Strategic naturalization is motivated by desires to gain material benefits, such as mobility rights and protection against deportation, while decoupling it from sentiments of identity and belonging, which are grounded elsewhere (Brettell 2006;Gálvez 2013;Gilbertson and Singer 2003;Golash-Boza 2016;Leuchter 2014).…”

The ethno-demographic impact of co-ethnic citizenship in Central and Eastern Europe

“…They are also used pragmatically by individuals, who may decide to switch identification and formal allegiance in order to secure certain benefits (Harpaz 2019). This strategic behaviour of applicants and dual citizens produces unintended consequences that should be examined within the context of the rise of strategic citizenship (Harpaz and Mateos 2019).…”