“Diaspora status and citizenship rights; a comparative-legal analysis of the quasi-citizenship schemes of China, India and Suriname”

Keywords: diaspora, citizenship rights, quasi-citizenship, China, India, Suriname

Some countries with a large number of diaspora have introduced a new status for their diaspora and their descendants. These “quasi-citizenship” statuses grant a number of rights and benefits which would not otherwise be available to foreigners. How do these “quasi-citizenship” statuses relate to nationality, and can they function as suitable “alternatives”? This dissertation examined the quasi-citizenship schemes of China, India and Suriname, looking specifically at the “citizenship rights” granted. The comparative analysis shows that there are many similarities in terms of entry and residence rights, labour rights. Similar are also the exclusion from electoral rights and access to public offices.

The research conducted for this dissertation is part of the Transnational Migration, Citizenship and the Circulation of Rights and Responsibilities (TRANSMIC) project, funded by the European Union under the FP7-PEOPLE-2013-ITN call and is part of the Marie Curie Actions — Initial Training Networks funding scheme (Project number – 608417).