Introduction: Citizenship and governance

The recent proliferation of studies on citizenship has not been accompanied by greater clarity or understanding, much less consensus. Studies continue to approach the subject from different ethical, cultural, political, and methodological perspectives and, unsurprisingly, arrive at very different conclusions. If anything, the debate on the subject is more polarized and cantankerous now than it has ever been. On the one hand are politicians and scholars to whom the concept is so axiomatic and uncontroversial that it may be taught to primary school children, while on the other hand there are those who find the concept unfathomable at best and dangerous at worst. The three papers included in the mini symposium in this volume offer a glimpse into the lively debate and underline the importance of more circumspection and reflection in debates on citizenship. The three papers were originally presented at the International conference on “Governance and Citizenship in Asia: Paradigms and Practic ... Copyright © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.