When a person is not recognised as a citizen anywhere, they are typically referred to as 'stateless'. This can give rise to challenges both for individuals and for the institutions that try to govern them. Statelessness, governance, and the problem of citizenship breaks from tradition by relocating the 'problem' to be addressed from one of statelessness to one of citizenship. It problematises the governance of citizenship - and the use of citizenship as a governance tool - and traces the 'problem of citizenship' from global and regional governance mechanisms to national and even individual levels.

With contributions from activists, affected persons, artists, lawyers, academics, and national and international policy experts, this volume rejects the idea that statelessness and stateless persons are a problem. It argues that the reality of statelessness helps to uncover a more fundamental challenge: the problem of citizenship.

About the Author

Tendayi Bloom is an Associate Professor in Politics and International Studies at the University of Birmingham
Lindsey N. Kingston is Associate Professor of International Human Rights at Webster University in Saint Louis, Missouri

Reviews

'Statelessness, governance, and the problem of citizenship manifests an extraordinary breadth of empirical and theoretical research emerging in the hiatus between social criticism, anthropology, international relations as well as domestic and international law. The research, with concrete examples from many countries, destabilises traditional state-centric approaches to nationality laws, national identity, a globalizing economy, and international regulatory governance. Taken as a whole, the book has succeeded in providing a voice to diverse silenced groups throughout the globe.'
William E. Conklin, Professor of Law, University of Windsor, and author of Statelessness: The Enigma of the International Community

'A remarkable compendium on a vastly under-researched topic, illustrating the complex ways through which one loses or never obtains a citizenship, a concept which used to signify emancipation and has become a tool of exclusion and a governance "problem". Indeed, despite exceptions, the book probes the depth of the populist nationalism which infects many polities and uses nationality, immigration and security standards to ever more restrictively define who is "in", despite harsh consequences for the excluded.'
Francois Crepeau, Hans and Tamar Oppenheimer Professor of Public International Law at McGill University and former Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants, OHCHR (2011-17)

'This important book critically explores the challenge of statelessness, while flipping the narrative, changing the point of departure, investigating deeper and engaging the reader through the wide-ranging perspectives, voices and experiences on offer. Statelessness - often viewed as the "problem" to be solved - is explored through this book as a symptom of a much deeper set of historically rooted challenges: of citizenship, governance and discrimination. The wide range of contributors from around the world who have all encountered statelessness in different ways (lived experience, academic research, creative endeavour and policy engagement) and the broad scope of the research and analysis on offer, showcases the sheer ambition of this project. The sensitivity and thoughtfulness with which difficult human rights issues are unpacked, is a testament to the skill of the editors and contributors, for not losing sight of what is truly important. This book should be read by all those working on citizenship rights and statelessness, but also by students of history, governance, human rights and social justice.'
Amal de Chickera, Co-founder and Co-director of the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion

'This exciting new book seeks to understand the "messy reality" of "the structures that move people into or out of recognition." It powerfully highlights, and will make a vital contribution to, our understanding the complex relationship between citizenship and statelessness. More than this though, it imagines a world in which people are empowered no matter their citizenship status. The editors have assembled a truly diverse, interdisciplinary, and global set of contributors, who together offer a deeply nuanced and pluralistic interrogation of the problems of citizenship. Statelessness, governance, and the problem of citizenship will be an important read for anyone interested in the problems of citizenship.'
Kelly Staples, Associate Professor of International Politics, University of Leicester, and author of Retheorising Statelessness

'This book is must read for anyone who, regardless of his or her intellectual endeavours, believes that all Creation, no matter the place and who lives there, is Sacred.'
Carimo Mohomed, The Muslim World Book Review Volume 43 Issue No 4

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Book Information
ISBN 9781526171757
Author Tendayi Bloom
Format Paperback
Page Count 400
Imprint Manchester University Press
Publisher Manchester University Press
Weight(grams) 558g
Dimensions(mm) 234mm * 156mm * 21mm