Conspicuous mobility : the status dimensions of the global passport hierarchy

The world’s passports are not equal. Travelers from rich countries enjoy extensive travel freedom across the globe, whereas citizens of less developed nations are subject to stringent visa controls. This article examines this global hierarchy from a social cognition perspective, highlighting the status competition around international travel. It analyzes interviews with ninety-eight persons in Serbia and Israel who have acquired a second passport from a European Union country. The interviews illustrate how a social cognition perspective can shed new light on international mobility and global inequality: the analysis suggests that passengers continuously monitored how they and others were treated by border control authorities, perceiving different treatment as indicative of status. Respondents experienced shame when the treatment they received fell short of their expected standards and felt pleasure and pride when treated better than comparable others. Respondents tended to compare their travel freedom to that enjoyed by citizens of nations that they perceived as culturally similar

Report on citizenship law : Israel

This report discusses citizenship in Israel. It explores the history of citizenship in this country, modes of acquisition and loss, and current debates and reform plans regarding citizenship policy.Research for the 2018 GLOBALCIT Reports has been supported by the European University Institute's Global Governance Programme and the British Academy Research Project CITMODES (co-directed by the EUI and the University of Edinburgh)

Compensatory Citizenship: A Comparative Study of Dual Nationality in Serbia, Mexico and Israel

Citizenship is not equal around the world: countries vary widely in the levels of opportunities, security and rights that they offer to their citizens. Traditionally, the only way that was open to individuals who wished to improve their position in the global hierarchy was emigration. Recently, however, a new pathway has opened up. Following the worldwide acceptance of dual citizenship since the 1990s, millions of people in Latin America, Eastern Europe and elsewhere have secured a second citizenship from a Western or European Union country on the basis of their ancestry, ethnicity, place of birth or migration history. I refer to this phenomenon as “compensatory citizenship,” since the second citizenship does not necessarily lead to emigration; instead, it acts as insurance policy, enhancer of opportunities and mobility and even status symbol. The dissertation explores this global phenomenon using two kinds of data. First, I analyze citizenship statistics from over 30 countries and show that demand for dual citizenship is shaped by the global hierarchy of citizenship value. Compensatory citizenship is mostly obtained by citizens of middle-tier countries who have both the opportunity and incentive to obtain a second citizenship from Western/EU countries. Second, I use material from fieldwork and interviews to compare three cases of compensatory citizenship: Hungarian dual citizenship in Serbia (acquired on the basis of ethnic identity), U.S. citizenship in Mexico (acquired through “birth tourism”) and European Union citizenship in Israel (acquired by descendants of emigrants). I analyze the interaction between state classifications and citizenship acquisition strategies and explore the uses and meanings of dual citizenship in each case. The study lays the groundwork for a new approach to citizenship which focuses on its role in setting one’s position in a global hierarchy; within that context, it comparatively analyzes the diffusion of instrumentalist, individualist attitudes to citizenship

Crossing Borders, choosing identity : strategic self-presentation among Palestinian-Israelis when traveling abroad

“Where are you from?” For Palestinian citizens of Israel travelling abroad, this simple question is anything but trivial. It raises dilemmas of identity and stigma and evokes emotions of embarrassment, guilt and pride. Drawing on in-depth interviews, the paper examines the repertoires of self-presentation of Palestinian Israelis during travel abroad. Their answer to the question changed depending on the country they were visiting. In Turkey, respondents presented themselves as Palestinian; in Arab countries, they were “Arabs of ‘48.” In those Middle Eastern destinations, Palestinian Israelis concealed their Israeli citizenship to avoid stigma and risk. In Europe, by contrast, respondents typically presented themselves as Israeli citizens – a self-presentation also shielded them from stigmas against Arabs. The paper examines the splintered and strategic self-presentation of Palestinian Israelis in the previously-unexplored domain of international travel. Our findings show that during international travel, a minority ethnic background may actually be advantageous at times