ABSTRACT
If there is any doubt about the complexities of citizenship then the chapters contained here put that doubt to rest. From Ireland to Brazil and from Canada to Singapore we read about the different ways in which societies struggle with the challenges of preparing young people for citizenship. There are some common themes I want to explore in this chapter and these relate both to what has been included in these chapters and to what has not. These themes are centred on the nation-state and its centrality in the lives of citizens, including new and emerging issues. Despite the attention that globalisation and consequently global citizenship has attracted, there is increasing evidence that nation-states continue to be signifi cant sites when it comes to citizenship issues.
