Political Rights Beyond Citizenship. An Inquiry into the Moral Bases of Immigrants' Political Entitlements

The idea of differential political rights for citizens and denizens (defined non-citizen residents), is normatively undertheorized within the political philosophy of migration, despite its salience in political debate and political praxis. Denizens do not enjoy the rights and benefits of citizenship, nor are they in most cases expected to discharge the burdens and obligations associated with citizenship. In contrast, barring felony, citizens are subject to the full package of political rights and duties of citizenship. Polities thus currently have two categories of residents – citizens and denizens – with different political entitlements. This raises the normative, moral question that will be the focus of this project: whether and to what extent this differentiation is justified, and, if so, why it is. Should we require all residents to become citizens, so they are entitled to the full and equal package of political rights? If no such expectation holds, which categories of political rights and duties accrue to denizens, and on what normative grounds can we stipulate those?