In Western countries, the theories and practices of citizenship and democracy have come under intense scrutiny. These are premised on a relatively autonomous nation state, yet national boundaries are now being tested through globalization. At the same time they are being challenged by new forms of identity based on communities, minorities and transnational belonging. Increasingly, the nation state is incapable of delivering on its promise of economic, political and social rights. The contributions in this book focus on the relationship between citizenship and difference, highlighting new tensions between the local and the global.

How have three countries of migration - Australia, France and Germany - engaged with immigration and ethnic diversity? What are the national stereotypes that have blocked effective policy-making and exacerbated conflicts? This book explores the role of the social sciences in the national discourses of migration and how they help shape different societal understandings. It concludes by discussing how international communities of scholars can transcend national discourses leading to better understanding of how migration is shaping global society.

In Western countries, the theories and practices of citizenship and democracy have come under intense scrutiny. These are premised on a relatively autonomous nation-state, yet national boundaries are now being tested through globalization. At the same time they are being challenged by new forms of identity based on communities, minorities and transnational belonging. Increasingly, the nation-state is incapable of delivering on its promise of economic, political and social rights. The contributions in this book focus on the relationship between citizenship and difference, highlighting new tensions between the local and the global.

How have Australia, France and Germany engaged with immigration and ethnic diversity? Are there national stereotypes that have blocked effective policy-making and exacerbated conflicts? This book looks at the role of the social sciences in national discourses of migration and how scholars can explain how migration is shaping global society.