CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2015
| Author | Van Gorkum, Steven |
|---|---|
| Title | Renouncing German Citizenship; Analysis of citizenship value assessment under the conditions of the Option Model in Germany |
| Summary | In 2000, Germany introduced the so-called “Option Model”, which forced 2nd generation migrant newborns who automatically became dual citizens at birth, to choose which citizenship they want to keep after turning 18 years old. The Option Model was largely abolished in a new citizenship law reform in September 2014. In this thesis, I want to find out what the system did to the people affected by it in the years that it was in practice. How did this forced choice influence identification among young adults with Germany and/or the country of their parents? The political narrative behind the Option Model is that maintaining a second citizenship is ‘the last barrier’ between second generation migrants and full identification with and loyalty towards Germany. I want to contest this narrative by arguing that in fact, the Option Model formed a hindrance to identification with Germany for at least a large part of those affected by it. Even though these youngsters mostly identified with Germany as their home, they at the same time developed an attitude of rebellion towards the German state. This attitude largely disappeared after dual citizenship became allowed in the 2014 law revision. |
| Supervisor | Pogonyi, Szabolcs |
| Department | Nationalism Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2015/gorkum_steven.pdf |
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