Manby, Bronwen 
ORCID: 0000-0002-7027-0431
(2019)
Citizenship law as the foundation for political participation in Africa.
In:
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics.
Oxford Research Encyclopedias.
Oxford University Press.
Abstract
The question of membership and belonging is widely recognized to have been at the root of many political crises in Africa since independence. The legal frameworks for citizenship were largely inherited from the colonial powers and still show strong affinities across colonial legal traditions. However, most African states have enacted significant amendments to citizenship laws since independence, as they have grappled with issues of membership, aiming to include or exclude certain groups. Substantive provisions have diverged significantly in several countries from the original template. African states have shared global trends toward gender equality and acceptance of dual citizenship. In relation to acquisition of citizenship based on birth in the territory (jus soli) or based on descent (jus sanguinis), there has been less convergence. In all countries, naturalization is inaccessible to all but a few. Manipulation of citizenship law for political purposes has been common, as political opponents have at times been accused of being non-citizens as a way of excluding them from office, or groups of people have been denied recognition of citizenship as a means of disenfranchisement. Moreover, even in states where a substantial proportion of residents lack identity documents, it seems that the rules on citizenship established by law have themselves had an impact on political developments.
| Item Type: | Book Section |
|---|---|
| Official URL: | https://oxfordre.com/politics/ |
| Additional Information: | © 2019 The Author |
| Divisions: | Sociology |
| Subjects: | J Political Science > JC Political theory J Political Science > JQ Political institutions Asia K Law > K Law (General) J Political Science > JV Colonies and colonization. Emigration and immigration. International migration |
| Date Deposited: | 10 Jul 2020 10:51 |
| Last Modified: | 24 Oct 2023 14:35 |
| URI: | http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/105607 |
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