Identifying the Perplexity of Citizenship Through Statelessness in the United States – Noemi Lamy Santos
Abstract
This thesis serves as an initial investigation of statelessness and the relationship between belonging and citizens in the United States. Does documentation mean protection? Are we protected by the state? Through statelessness, in chapter one, we see the vulnerability of the stateless population on a global scale and are given a glimpse of the reality of everyday statelessness in a developed nation. Statelessness exposes the vulnerabilities of everyday people, regardless of status. This vulnerability is perpetuated by the state through citizenship policies that seize the idea of belonging. In chapter two, citizenship is deconstructed to show the structural inequality. Through acts of citizenship, we identify that belonging does not mean you are a citizen, likewise, a citizen does not always belong. Acts of citizenship allow people to claim their belonging in society through their everyday routines or captivating challenges to the status quo. This repositioning of the citizen allows for a better understanding of belonging and opens the door for all people, especially stateless, to claim their space in a state. This idea is not found in state and international literature on ways to protect the stateless population. In the final chapter, current solutions to citizenship are criticized for not getting to the root of statelessness. Ignoring the structural causes of stateless risks creating a new international identity crisis. In the final section of this paper, we are presented with the deficiencies of this work and identify ways to expand upon the initial research to form a comprehensive understanding of belonging.
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