ABSTRACT
The boundaries of ‘citizenship’ that mark levels of participation in society are highly contested, not merely in the disputes of philosophers but also in the day-to-day spaces and places within which battles for social and cultural inclusion and exclusion are fought. For those who seek to cross these boundaries and express the rights of citizenship, the practical restrictions, located both in the structures of the social system and in assumptions about the value of their lives, can be considerable. Such restrictions apply to many individuals and groups, not just those defined as having ‘learning difficulties’. The experiences of people with ‘learning difficulties’, however, do offer important insights into the nature of the negotiations that determine participation and the rights of citizenship.
