Cities vs states : should urban citizenship be emancipated from nationality?

Abstract

A majority of the world population lives in cities, but determining citizenship remains a monopoly of nation-states. Should cities claim their own citizenship, based on residence rather than nationality? Should they get enhanced powers and bypass states when addressing challenges of migration or climate change? Or would urban citizenship deepen the political divide between metropolitan and rural populations that disintegrates liberal democracies today? These questions are raised in Rainer Bauböck’s kickoff for a GLOBALCIT Forum that was also published on Verfassungsblog. 22 authors respond to these questions and reflect on the prospects for urban and local citizenship. The forum concludes with a rejoinder by Rainer Bauböck.