Process Essay: What Does It Means To Be A Citizen

1362 Words6 Pages

Citizenship is something that allows you to attain certain documentation that tells others what country you reside or are active in. When you are a citizen you have the ability to vote and be a part of the community within it. One becomes a citizen through blood, birthright, religion, or naturalization. While in theory citizenship sounds straightforward, there are issues with what it means to be a citizen and who can be considered one. Looking at citizenship we should look at how it has progressed and who was affected by the progression. We should also look at how a groups are formed within the state and what that means to be a citizen. Lastly, we have to talk about how citizenship is determined. Consequently we also have to take in consideration all counter arguments such as, everyone is not considered a citizen and all citizens are not equal. Throughout the essay the pros and cons of citizenship will show that we as people hold citizenship close because it says something about who we are. Due to the rights and documentation you receive as a citizen, it is also a very important component in identifying who you are nationally and internationally. Interestingly, states have started to do things that put people's citizenship in jeopardy. Due to these …show more content…

The definition is stating that a citizen has to be an active participant in their country to be considered a citizen. Now this is a bare bones definition that does not say how a citizen should show their engagement. One person's participation may be completely different from another. This way of thinking is similar to what Engin F. Isin talked about in his book Being Political. Isin tells us that citizenship is defined by what it is not more than what it is. People identify themselves by race, nationality, or gender and determine who they are based on every race, gender,or nationality they are