posted on 2024-09-05, 22:40authored byEvelina Dagnino
This paper introduces the Latin American debate on citizenship. It examines, first, the general conditions
of the emergence of the notion in different countries of the continent. Secondly, it discusses what can be
seen as general features assumed by the redefinition of citizenship that underlay its emergence in Latin
America, linked to the democratising processes in the last decades. This analysis takes as its main
reference the pioneering process of redefinition that took place in Brazil, because it is considered the most
elaborate one and has been, to some extent, a reference for other countries in Latin America and
elsewhere. Third, in trying to avoid the risks of excessive generalisation, it discusses the different nuances
and emphases the notion of citizenship has taken up, as they may not only provide a further
understanding of the debate but also highlight the distinctions and specificities of citizenship in different
countries. Finally, it focuses on the neoliberal versions of citizenship and the dilemmas these pose to the
original democratising meanings and uses of citizenship in Latin America.
Keywords: citizenship, Latin America, democratisation, neoliberal citizenship.
History
Publisher
IDS
Citation
Dagnino, E. (2005) Meanings of citizenship in Latin America. Working paper series, 258. Brighton: IDS.