Vol 2, No 1 (2011): Exclusion and Discrimination
With the second issue of Open Citizenship we reveal the shortcomings of the EU and its Member States to live up to their proclaimed respect of diversity. This important topic has countless facets and opinions and we are pleased to represent new voices on much-discussed issues and address topics that are more under the radar. We are also happy to discuss Hungary’s recent amendment to its naturalisation law in more detail through analysis by Hungarian legal scholars, an interview with Hungary’s foreign minister and a statement from a democracy advocate. We feel it is important to encourage rich debate on such important issues and hope to stimulate debate with this second issue of Open Citizenship.
Scholarly articles open the journal in ‘It’s Academic!’. This is followed by ‘Open Mic’, where anyone can contribute their hopes and concerns on how the EU and its Member States treat non-nationals. ‘Teatime with…’ continues the conversation with experts and professionals. In ‘Movement Watch’, organisations working on citizenship matters and discrimination present their projects and vision for an inclusive Europe. Finally, reviewers take a look at the conversation taking place outside this journal in ‘Critics’ Corner’.
We are pleased to present fresh insights on discrimination and exclusion on this matter from writers throughout Europe. Maria Pisani opens ‘It’s Academic!’ with an examination of rejected sub-Saharan African female asylum seekers in Malta, highlights how the intersection of gender, race and legal status leads to isolation and poverty. Anamaria Topan analysis how the idea of ‘whiteness’ silently informs EU’s policies against the publicly claimed value of diversity. Zsolt Körtvélyesi and Judit Tóth discuss the discriminatory effects and possible illegitimacy of Hungary’s preferential treatment of ethnic Hungarian applicants for national citizenship.
In ‘Open Mic’, Annette Schrauwen illustrates how the introduction of EU citizenship leads to discrimination against third-country nationals and argues for expanded voting rights for European Parliament elections. Michael Efler comments on recent constitutional developments in Hungary and discloses how these lead to severe democratic deficits and exclusion of minorities. Geanina Gabriela Ţurcanu argues that young and well-educated Romanians are excluded from national and European government positions. Finally, Carlos Arce presents arguments to give third-country nationals municipal voting rights in Spain.
For this issue, we asked three opinion leaders from politics and civil society to answer our questions in ‘Teatime’. Janos Martonyi, Hungarian Foreign Minister, justifies Hungary’s new procedure of nationality acquisition preferring ethnic Hungarians. Morten Kjaerum, Director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, outlines the agency’s role in enhancing the concept of EU citizenship. Kenan Kolat, Director of the Turkish Community Germany, differentiates between integration and participation, outlining the importance of the latter to successfully incorporate migrants into EU culture.
In ‘Movement Watch’, Jede Stimme 2011 (GER); National Centre of Competence in Research – Democracy (CH) and Association de Soutien aux Travailleurs Immigrés (LUX) present their projects and envision an inclusive EU.
The conversation is just beginning. We welcome your thoughts about this issue as well as contributions to future issues. Submissions for our next issue, which will examine ……. in the EU, are due 15 July 2011.
Your CFE Team
Table of Contents
Academic
- There’s an elephant in the room, and she’s ‘rejected’ and black: observations on the situation of SSA rejected female asylum seekers living in Malta, Maria Pisani
- Contesting ‘European Whiteness’: Stronghold against Europe’s Internal Diversity, Anamaria Topan
- Naturalisation in Hungary: Exclusion by ethnic preference, Judit Tóth, Zsolt Körtvélyesi
Commentary
- Same Mary, different hat: On discrimination in Romania, Geanina-Gabriela Turcanu
- When the government writes its own constitution: Thoughts on Hungary’s new constitution, Michael Efler
- All that glitters is not gold: Discriminatory effects of EU citizenship, Annette Schrauwen
Movement Watch
- Jede Stimme 2011, Jede Stimme 2011
- Tod@s iguales. Tod@s ciudadan@s, Mikel Araguás, Carlos Arce
Interview
- Participation is the key to integration, Kenan Kolat
Review
- World Vote Now: An experiment of democracy in its purest form, Arianna DeMario
- Deutschland schafft sich ab: Wie wir unser Land aufs Spiel setzen [Germany does away with itself: How we’re gambling away our country], Coskun Canan