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Contested Citizenship

Immigration and Cultural Diversity in Europe

2005
•
Authors:

Ruud Koopmans, Paul Statham, Marco Giugni, and Florence Passy

Contested Citizenship

Demonstrates how national identity affects the dynamics of immigration

Presenting an unprecedented wealth of empirical research, Contested Citizenship compares collective actions by migrants, xenophobes, and antiracists in Germany, Britain, France, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Revealing striking cross-national differences in how immigration and diversity are contended by different national governments, these authors find that how citizenship is constructed is the key variable defining the experience of Europe's immigrant populations.

The truly impressive sweep of this book, theoretically and empirically, makes it required reading for those in the field. It will inevitably lead to lively debate, as the devil is clearly in the details.

—

Mobilization

From international press coverage of the French government’s attempt to prevent Muslims from wearing headscarves to terrorist attacks in Madrid and the United States, questions of cultural identity and pluralism are at the center of the world’s most urgent events and debates. Presenting an unprecedented wealth of empirical research garnered during ten years of a cross-cultural project, Contested Citizenship addresses these fundamental issues by comparing collective actions by migrants, xenophobes, and antiracists in Germany, Britain, France, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.

Revealing striking cross-national differences in how immigration and diversity are contended by different national governments, these authors find that how citizenship is constructed is the key variable defining the experience of Europe’s immigrant populations. Contested Citizenship provides nuanced policy recommendations and challenges the truism that multiculturalism is always good for immigrants. Even in an age of European integration and globalization, the state remains a critical actor in determining what points of view are sensible and realistic—and legitimate—in society.

Contested Citizenship

Ruud Koopmans is professor of sociology at Free University, Amsterdam.

Paul Statham is reader in political communications at the University of Leeds.

Marco Giugni is a researcher and teacher of political science at the University of Geneva.

Florence Passy is assistant professor of political science at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland.

Contested Citizenship

The truly impressive sweep of this book, theoretically and empirically, makes it required reading for those in the field. It will inevitably lead to lively debate, as the devil is clearly in the details.

—

Mobilization

A unique contribution in this research field. This book not only makes an important contribution to the academic debate, it also addresses in a very accessible language a broader readership that might be interested in such timely topics.

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Swiss Political Science Review

An important and innovative book.

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American Journal of Sociology

Contested Citizenship

Contents

Preface

Introduction: The Contentious Politics of Immigration and Ethnic Relations

1. Configurations of Citizenship in Five European Countries
2. Beyond the Nation-State? National and Postnational Claims Making
3. Migrants between Transnationalism and National Citizenship
4. Minority Group Demands and the Challenge of Islam
5. The Extreme Right: Ethnic Competition or Political Space?
6. Interest or Identity? Pro-Migrant and Antiracist Actors
7. Contested Citizenship: Conclusions and Future Directions

Appendix: The Coding of Political Claims Making
Notes
References

Index