Nationality and citizenship have been subjects of stormy policy debates in many EU countries in recent years. Concerns over the integration of immigrants, but also attempts to forge links with emigrants, have led to changes in the laws regulating loss and acquisition of nationality and citizenship. This title outlines the research conducted by a team of 30 researchers into the nationality laws and their implementation in 15 EU member states. Acquisition and Loss of Nationality - Volume 1 presents the results of a systematic comparative analysis. It uses a novel methodology that permits a detailed comparison how nationality can be acquired or lost across all 15 countries. The results show divergent trends towards liberalization in some countries and new restrictions of access to nationality in others. The book examines the impact of international and European law, presents statistical data on naturalization and assesses administrative practices. Although the European Union has no formal competence in regulating nationality, the nationality laws of member states are linked to each other via the common citizenship of the Union. Member States should therefore agree on common norms for their nationality laws. The book contains detailed policy recommendations based on the idea that stakeholders in the political community should be given access to nationality. Studies of each country's nationality law are published separately in "http://www.aup.nl/do.php?a=show_visitor_book&isbn=9789053569214"> Volume 2. Additional material including detailed statistics and further comparative analyses of legal regulations of nationality is available at "http://www.imiscoe.org">www.imiscoe.org. Volume 1 & 2 are also available as a set, "http://www.aup.nl/do.php?a=show_visitor_book&isbn=9789053569498&l=2">click here for more information. This is the most comprehensive comparative study of the legal status of nationality so far and it will become an indispensable source of reference for further research. For more information see: "http://www.imiscoe.org/natac/">http://www.imiscoe.org/natac/

Author Biography

Rainer Baubock is professor of social and political theory at the European University Institute, Florence. Previous publications: Transnational Citizenship (1994), From Aliens to citizens (1994), The Challenge of Diversity (1996), Blurred Boundaries (1998), Migration and Citizenship (2006). Eva Ersboll is researcher at the Danish Institute for Human Rights in Copenhagen. Her book on Danish nationality in a historical and international perspective will be published in 2007. Kees Groenendijk is professor of Sociology of Law at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands. Previous publications: The Legal Status of Third Country Nationals who are Long Term Residents in a Member State of the European Union (2001), In Search of Europe's Borders (2003), Report on the Free Movement of Workers in the Netherlands in 2004 (2005). Harald Waldrauch was previously a researcher at the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research in Vienna. He now works for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Previous publications: Die Integration von Einwanderern (2001), MigrantInnenorganisationen in der Grossstadt (2004).