Citizenship practices and urban governance in European cities

This paper presents the theoretical background against which the relation between citizenship and governance can be explored in European cities. The article revisits the link between the social and political dimensions of citizenship and the public sphere, emphasising the participatory paradigm. Moreover, it examines some current citizenship and governance practices occurring in European cities and neighbourhoods. It argues that the practice of citizenship has been challenged in European cities not only by the globalising forces which have contributed to the increasing numbers of denizens, exploited immigrants and the poor, but also by the implicit changes in collective understanding of social justice. Finally, it critically discusses the term 'urban citizenship' as capturing local participation of citizens in the pursuit of welfare, recognition and against neo-liberal policies. Instead, the author proposes the term 'urban and regional forms of citizenship' substantiating the continuous relevance of territorial citizenship in the context of multilevel governance.