Citizenship, diversity, and pluralism (1999) Introduction - May 19 Reading Note - Jenn Bergen

Cairns, A. C. (1999). Introduction. In A. C. Cairns, J. C. Courtney, P. MacKinnon, H. J. Michelmann, & D. E. Smith (Eds.), Citizenship, diversity, and pluralism: Canadian and comparative perspectives (pp. 3-22). Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen’s University Press.

Main Argument

Cairns (1999) argues that the resurgence of academic interest in citizenship is appropriately grounded in an increased concern with citizenship practices on the ground. He outlines eight issues discussed in the book that discuss various sides of the central argument - that citizenship should move towards “finding a basis for cohesion without smothering difference” and for “deep diversity” amongst the citizenry (1999, p. 19).

Supporting Points

In the introduction to Citizenship, Diversity, and Pluralism: Canadian and Comparative Perspectives, Cairns (1999) argues that renewed academic interest in citizenship in the previous decade was spurred by “challenges to existing citizenship (or its regrettable absence) in the real world” (p. 4). Cairns (1999) describes a normative notion of citizenship as having vertical and horizontal dimensions – vertically binding citizens to their state through nationalism and loyalty, and horizontally binding citizens to one another (p. 4). These binds of citizenship are what he claims allow for a united polity in the face of divisive interest groups and political parties vying for different objectives (1999, p. 5). Cairns then outlines eight salient issues taken up by subsequent chapters in the book, explaining how each issue relates to a re-thinking of notions of citizenship.

Cairns (1999) first reviews how a “changed ethnic demography” (p. 5) has contributed to increasing ‘misunderstandings’ as the beliefs of an assumed homogenous citizenry are increasingly questioned by diverse groups (p. 6). Cairns argues that multiculturalism, however, may be more readily negotiated than multinationalism, the second issue he highlights. Here, he argues that “Indigenous and other internal nationalisms” act as sovereign nations within the nation of Canada, but currently without a solidified expression of what this means for citizenship. Cairns highlights that both secession (in the case of Quebec) and self-government (in the case of Aboriginal peoples) are fraught with their own internal citizenship complexities, in addition to what bonds of citizenship to ‘external’ groups these alternative governance models would create (1999, p. 6-10).  

Cairns (1999) next addresses how strong and moderate versions of identity politics (p. 10) have affected the development of citizenship in various groups. He argues that, “in its moderate expression, identity politics sensitizes society to expressions of difference that historically were suppressed, concealed, or unvoiced” (Cairns, 1999, p. 11) (such as women’s citizenship status), and in its stronger version necessitates that decisions are made by representatives from those groups whom the decisions will affect. In this way, Cairns notes that the ability for “the centre” to assert its version of beliefs and values is becoming less palatable, as citizens begin to reject the melting pot as “an inescapable or desirable fate” (1999, p. 12).

Next, Cairns outlines how the “internationalization of rights discourse” (1999, p. 12) and globalization have weakened the sovereignty of nation-states to assert differential human rights agendas and have strengthened the ability of corporations to mobilize production to countries with weaker social rights. He argues that this leads to external pressure on nation-states to uphold human rights, but also the potential erosion of social rights as immigration increases in Western countries (1999, p. 13-14).

Finally, Cairns describes how citizenship necessarily changes when multiple political pressures are at play, such as when colonization imposes a political system on an already existing one, in the case of the multiple citizenship levels of the European Union, or in the case of shifting political systems (such as transformed imperialist or communist regimes) (1999, p. 15-16). When the latter is the case, Cairns argues that there is a greater ability of the state to abuse its power (1999, p. 17). 

Assessment / Critique

The strength of this introduction rests in its ability to give a birds’ eye view of the issues that were emerging as central in academic studies of citizenship at the turn of the century. Cairns also adeptly describes these exceedingly complex issues in relatively plain language and very little space, which I always appreciate as a reader. The obvious drawback to this collection is that developments in all of the areas discussed will inevitably have been made, and this makes me curious if some of the claims of the subsequent chapters would still hold true (development around Aboriginal self-governance, in particular). The questions that I was thankful to have surface in this piece centered around the discussion of identity politics, and how issues of representation cut through all of the other areas discussed: How could strong identity politics mitigate possible state harm/corruption (as described on pages 16-17) in newer democracies? What level of truth do the critiques of the internationalization of rights as “Western” hold?