Essay | Turkish Citizenship Is a Hot Commodity

In the Western world, the idea of citizenship is usually celebrated for its promise of equality. Even in societies divided by class and status, citizenship enables disadvantaged segments of the population to obtain basic rights. Yet access to citizenship itself remains fundamentally unequal. No matter the country, governments screen entry into their territories to move the connected, the talented and the wealthy to the head of the line, while those deemed less worthy are left waiting on the doorstep. In the face of these barriers, many people act strategically by acquiring a second citizenship, to increase their possibilities and hedge risks.