Divided loyalty? Identification and political participation of dual citizens in Switzerland

Abstract

In spite of the recent increase in dual citizenship, there are widespread fears that this double status undermines loyalty towards the state, understood as identification with and political participation in the country of residence. We analyze whether there are systematic differences between dual citizens, mono citizens, and foreign residents in this respect, based on data from a 2013 survey of dual citizens in Switzerland with very different migration backgrounds. The results reveal that controlling for migration-related and socio-demographic factors, dual citizens are more loyal in many respects than foreign residents, but there are no significant differences between dual citizens and mono citizens in their level of identification with Switzerland and political participation there. They are even more likely than mono citizens to participate in serving its interests. In addition, there is no trade-off between these forms of loyalty to the country of residence and identification and political participation in the country of descent. On the contrary, they are positively related. Transnational loyalties seem to co-exist or even to be mutually reinforcing. Thus, dual citizenship does not seem to diminish loyalty to the country of residence and countries therefore do not stand to lose anything by allowing it.

Double standards? Attitudes towards immigrant and emigrant dual citizenship in the Netherlands

“…Dual citizenship is a widely studied topic (e.g. Faist, Gerdes, and Rieple 2004;Sejersen 2008;Spiro 2011Spiro , 2016Schlenker 2015). Remarkably, while few would dispute that dual citizenship is a contentious political issue, public attitudes towards dual citizenship regulation have remained severely underresearched.…”

Citizenship in the Nordic Countries

“…Here, it is worth noting that the straight forward zero-sum game vision of "one person, one citizenship", which the nation state system would logically suggest, has always had its exceptions and complications. This continues to be the case today, at an increasing pace, especially due to the rise in the prevalence of dual citizenship across Europe and globally (Bloemraad 2004;Faist & Kivisto 2007;Schlenker 2016;Sejersen 2008;Stokke & Erdal 2017).…”

“…In practice, states around the world resolve the concrete challenges that dual citizenship might entail, such as in relation to military service, posts at high levels in diplomacy, or posts in the intelligence services. In any case, the prevalence of dual citizenship underscores the observable reality that for many individuals -and states -multiplicity is the norm when it comes to questions of membership in nation states (Schlenker 2016). This is furthermore reflected in the fact that extraterritorial citizens often retain voting rights in national elections for 8-10 years or longer after emigration (Collyer 2014).…”

Transnational status and cosmopolitanism: are dual citizens and foreign residents cosmopolitan vanguards?

“…However, this trend should not gloss over the fact that fears still exist (Renshon 2005) and that in many countries dual citizenship is still forbidden and contested. Only recently, various studies analysed the empirical consequences of dual citizenship for national integration and democracy, but with inconclusive results (Mügge 2012;Schlenker 2015;Staton et al 2007).…”

“…Dual citizens have two frames of national identity at their disposal, since two states fully recognize their membership. This horizontal doubling of belonging may also lead to vertical pluralization in the sense of embedding the multiple identities within the broader category of humanity (Schlenker andBlatter 2014: 1106). However, being a full and recognized citizen in the country of residence there is little incentive to do so.…”