Citizenship after Orientalism Transforming Political Theory

The word 'citizen' evokes a particular legacy that is inexorably associated with 'European' values that define especially Euro-American states, such as secularism, democracy, law, and rights. However, since 1945, these very values have been increasingly placed under question from various perspectives, so much so that to call them solely European values is to encounter skepticism. This edited volume takes as its subject the vexed relationship between citizenship and orientalism, each author contemplating ways of re-articulating or re-imagining this relationship. It explores the ways in which we may begin to think differently about citizenship as political subjectivity by presenting the research outcomes of studies conducted at the Open University as part of the Citizenship after Orientalism (Oecumene) project (2010-2014). Collectively, these chapters constitute a critique of citizenship as exclusively and even originally a European institution.

Professor Engin Isin holds a Chair in Citizenship and is Professor of Politics in the Department of Politics and International Studies at The Open University. He is also a past director (2007-2009) of the Centre for Citizenship, Identities and Governance.

1. Transforming Political Theory; Engin Isin

PART I: UNDOING CITIZENSHIP
2. Abject Choices? Orientalism, Citizenship and Autonomy; Leticia Sabsay
3. Disorienting Austerity: The Indebted Citizen as the New Soul of Europe; Andrea Mura
4. The Imperial Citizen: British India and French Algeria; Jack Harrington
5. Haredi Settlers: the Non-Zionist Jewish Settlers of the West Bank; Dana Rubin

PART II: UNCOVERING CITIZENSHIP
6. Overlapping Sovereignties: Gurus and Citizenship; Aya Ikegame
7. Contesting neo-orientalism: Terrorism Detentions, Migrant Activism, and the Claim for Justice; Iker Barbero
8. Multicultural Society Must Be Defended?; Zaki Nahaboo
9. Law, Orientalism and Citizenship: British-Muslim Family Law; Lisa Pilgram

PART III: REFIGURING CITIZENSHIP
10. Performing Citizenship: Acts of Writing; Alessandra Marino
11. Haunted Citizens: Of Ghosts, Gang Rapes, and Azadi; Tara Atluri
12. Foolish Citizens; Deena Dajani
13. Citizenship's Empire; Engin Isin