Alles oder Nichts'? The outer boundaries of the German citizenship debate

Abstract

In this article we explore how constitutionally enshrined and historically conditioned conceptions of membership in Germany have continued to frame citizenship debates over the last two decades. These debates have been revived both by domestic developments, such as mass migration, and by external factors, such as European integration. The larger question examined is the extent to which, at least in the European Union, conceptions of "citizenship" now evolve in reaction to "internal" or "external" factors, and how the balance of such factors shapes the outcome of particular changes in policy. In our inquiry, we look first at the evolution of policy on access to full citizenship in Germany and then at that of its attendant rights and obligations. Finally, we draw certain general conclusions from the German example for European integration and for possible scenarios of coexistence of the national and European citizenship models.