Eleventh Global Studies Conference

Abstract

Migration and transnationalism in the twenty-first century is catalyzing the emergence of “poly-citizens,” possessing legal-judicial relations in more than one state and capable of multiple spaces in which the rights/responsibilities interaction may occur. This phenomenon may facilitate the process whereby a citizen may derive the benefits in one state, i.e. where he/she resides, and yet fulfill the obligations of being a citizen in another state, often the country of origin or ethno-cultural affiliation, altering the conventional reciprocity of rights and responsibility within a single state and may create an asymmetrical exercise of citizenship, and redefining it beyond merely its ontological or legal categories. Moreover, tangible impacts on the allocation of resources and their transfer between states by such citizens may affect perceptions of national allegiance and loyalty as well as notions of belonging and nationality-based identity. This paper analyzes the evolving morphology and ethos of the citizen within the global space as transnationalism and increased migration redefine the relationship of the citizen with the state or with multiple states, examining second- and third-generation Indians in the Persian Gulf Region. It will also explore and distinguish between single-state citizens and citizens claiming citizenship in multiple states and how the exchange of rights and responsibilities vis-à-vis the state are affected in each category. Finally, this paper will offer a functional definition of these emerging expressions of citizenship that allows for the development of new models of socio-cultural engagement, inclusion, and integration, in both national and transnational contexts, i.e. ontological citizenship.