ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the themes of exclusion and citizenship in Europe from the perspective of the need for change and reform in the civil-political and socio-economic dimensions of the constitution of the European Union (EU). Nation-state forms of citizenship, with their close connection to popular feelings of national identity, and through their restrictions on immigration and naturalization processes, can also evidently contribute to problems of exclusion as well as offer possibilities for inclusion. The relevance of citizenship for the understanding and tackling of social exclusion can be contested. EU citizenship is sometimes seen as a threat to the forms of identity and loyalty bound up with national citizenship and hence is controversial for some member states. The European Commission tends to approach the civil/political dimension of citizenship and constitution mainly from the perspective of civil rather than political rights. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
