Citizenship and Ethnicity: The Growth and Development of a Democratic Multiethnic Institution

Feliks Gross

Bloomsbury Academic, Nov 30, 1999 - Political Science - 144 pages

Today, all industrialized states are multinational. However, as Political Sociologist Feliks Gross points out, there remains considerable debate and experimentation on how to organize a multiethnic, democratic, and humane state. Gross examines various types of multiethnic states as well as their early origins and prospects for success. In the past, minorities were usually formed as a consequence of conquest or migration; minorities tended to have an inferior status, subordinated to the ruling, dominant ethnic class.

While Athens provides an early example of a state formed by alliance and association, the Romans advanced this concept when they extended to subjected peoples the status by means of citizenship. After the fall of Rome, citizenship continued in Italian and other continental cities. In England, subjectship associated with individual freedom had native roots. The American and French Revolutions revived and created the modern definition of citizenship. Along with Rome, however, only the United States provides an example of a successful multiethnic state of continental dimensions.

About the author

FELIKS GROSS is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the Graduate School and Brooklyn College, City University of New York, honorary president of CUNY Academy for Humanities and Sciences./e Professor Gross has published more than 14 books and numerous articles, primarily in political sociology.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Citizenship and Ethnicity: The Growth and Development of a Democratic Multiethnic Institution; ABC-Clio ebook; Issue 128 of Contributions in sociology, ISSN 0084-9278; Issue 128 of Controversies in Science
• Author: Feliks Gross
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic, 1999
• ISBN: 0313309329, 9780313309328
• Length: 144 pages
• Subjects: Political Science / Civics & Citizenship; Political Science / Civil Rights; Political Science / General; Political Science / History & Theory; Political Science / Political Ideologies / General; Social Science / Ethnic Studies / General; Social Science / Sociology / General