Citizenship

The basic definition of citizenship is tied to the status of a person’s relationship with the state or association of states where said person has the rights and duties of a citizen. The idea and practice of “active citizenship” goes beyond the more narrow definition that equates citizenship with the presence of political participation, which is only one component of it, to include the concepts of social capital. The components of active citizenship include psychological, as in one’s sense of belonging; civil; political; social; and caring, which defines one’s sense of both rights and responsibilities. This model of active citizenship takes into account both the individualistic and collective nature of citizenship.