Prof. Willem Maas (Political Science and Public & International Affairs/Glendon College and Jean Monnet Chair in European Integration) is currently conducting research into continuities and changes in nationality laws and citizenship policies in Europe and North America. At the centre of his work is the question of what explains continuity and change in nationality laws and citizenship policies.

Prof. Maas states: “Citizenship is a contested concept, but one of fundamental political importance because it establishes the boundary between individuals with full rights in a political community and others whose rights are limited. With rights come duties, at least some of which non-citizens do not share. Decisions about the content of rights and duties, about the proper balance between them, and about which individuals should be admitted to citizenship provide the foundation for all politics. The granting of citizenship — denoting an individual’s full legal status in a sovereign state — has long been used as a tool for political integration, both of established populations and of newcomers. Recently, however, the political salience of issues such as dual citizenship, naturalization, and the relationship between citizenship and immigrant integration has increased dramatically both in liberal democracies and beyond. The postwar rise of human rights, globalization, and Europeanization contributed to a liberalization of nationality law in many states, while the mobilization of anti-immigrant sentiment resulted in retrenchment elsewhere.”

Research Director: Willem Maas, Political Science/Public & International Affairs (Glendon College)
Email: maas@yorku.ca