ABSTRACT
This chapter examines two areas of the citizenship debate. It predominantly focuses on the requirement that all immigrants have a basic command of English, which is a key element of citizenship strategy, before going on to explore the fluidity of identity by showing how adoption and assertion of a sense of Britishness emerges over time. This section examines what constitutes the British' of British citizenship for migrant women. This highlights the importance of applying a longitudinal lens to examining communities. This Britishness was proudly owned by the women and had emerged from their own attachments; it was not enforced, granted by passing a test or proven by a citizenship certificate. Recommendations repeatedly assert that the ability to speak English will allow and encourage communication between non-English speaking migrants and the host population. In this study, all the women recognise the difficulties and barriers that not speaking English poses.
