Leiden University Scholarly Publications

Bliersbach, H. (2025)

Becoming and Belonging? Lived experiences of naturalization and the implementation of citizenship law in Germany and Canada

Doctoral Thesis

Naturalization, the acquisition of citizenship, constitutes the final step of a migrant’s formal integration process. For many, becoming a citizen means gaining civic rights, protection from deportation, and freedom of movement. Citizenship policies are often interpreted as a reflection of a country's identity – what it values in a citizen – and are commonly used as an indicator of a country's general approach to immigration. Naturalization literature has long sought to determine and evaluate the precise factors deciding whether someone will become a citizen.
This dissertation examines the process of citizenship acquisition, its impact on the individual naturalizing and the experiences of those enforcing citizenship policy day-to-day. It asks how someone acquires citizenship formally, administratively, and emotionally and how that citizenship is interpreted. How is citizenship law put into action? Does becoming a citizen mean that someone feels like they...Show moreNaturalization, the acquisition of citizenship, constitutes the final step of a migrant’s formal integration process. For many, becoming a citizen means gaining civic rights, protection from deportation, and freedom of movement. Citizenship policies are often interpreted as a reflection of a country's identity – what it values in a citizen – and are commonly used as an indicator of a country's general approach to immigration. Naturalization literature has long sought to determine and evaluate the precise factors deciding whether someone will become a citizen.
This dissertation examines the process of citizenship acquisition, its impact on the individual naturalizing and the experiences of those enforcing citizenship policy day-to-day. It asks how someone acquires citizenship formally, administratively, and emotionally and how that citizenship is interpreted. How is citizenship law put into action? Does becoming a citizen mean that someone feels like they belong to that country? Employing a bottom-up approach, this research studies the implementation of citizenship policy utilizing in-depth interviews with both new citizens and street-level bureaucrats in Germany and Canada. It combines theoretical and methodological approaches from public administration, political science and socio-legal studies incorporating questions of discretion and the perception thereof, definitions of citizenship, and legal consciousness.Show less

Citizenship

Naturalization

Denationalization

Crimmigration

Street-level bureaucracy

Discretion

Policy implementation

Legal consciousness

Belonging

Qualitative interviewing

All authors

Bliersbach, H.

Supervisor

Vliet, O.P. van; Woude, M.A.H. van der

Committee

Leun, J.P. van der; Jesse, L.L.M.; Scholten, P.W.A.; Triadafilopoulos, T.

Qualification

Doctor (dr.)

Awarding Institution

Institute of Public Administration, Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs, Leiden University

Date

2025-05-13

Title of host publication

Meijers-reeks

Publication Series

Name

MI 442