Disenfranchised minorities: Trust, definitions of citizenship, and noncitizen voting rights in developed democracies
Abstract
Western societies show varying reactions to the challenges of immigration. This is especially true with regards to voting rights for immigrants. This article shows that previous research has neglected generalized trust as a powerful predictor for different degrees of inclusiveness in this policy area. Elections are the gateways to the political decision-making processes in all democracies. For members of the host society, extending voting rights to noncitizens means granting members of an ‘out-group’ direct influence on their own lives. This requires a ‘leap of faith’ that is only possible at higher levels of generalized trust.
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Biographies
Florian Justwan is a PhD candidate at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. His research focuses on the effects of generalized social trust on international and domestic politics and the maintenance and development of democratic systems.
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Article first published online: April 15, 2014
Issue published: September 2015
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