Citizenship and the Legitimacy of Governance: Anthropology in the Mediterranean Region (Urban Anthropology) - Hardcover

'This book represents a long-awaited comeback of theoretical reflection upon and field research within Mediterranean societies, which, in the aftermath of harsh criticism, had practically vanished from anthropological debate. By dealing with burning issues such as citizenship, legitimacy and governance it presents a thought-provoking and innovative approach to themes that the anthropology of the Mediterranean world had not tackled before.' Christian Giordano, University of Fribourg, Switzerland 'This insightful collection explores crises of legitimacy afflicting Mediterranean democracies. The authors, urban anthropologists, document everyday citizens' perception that power-holders are corrupt, unaccountable, and incapable of fairly and effectively addressing today's colossal problems. Ethnographically rich accounts of citizens' experiences of (mis)rule, withdrawal of moral consent, and resort to informal strategies, contribute to an understanding of legitimacy crises in general.' Jane Schneider, City University of New York, USA

Against the background of unease at the increasingly loose and conflictual relationship between citizenship and governance, this book brings together rich, ethnographic studies from EU member states and post-Communist and Middle-Eastern countries in the Mediterranean Region to illustrate the crisis of legitimacy inherent in the weakening link between political responsibility and trust in the exercise of power. With close attention to the impact of the ambiguities and distortions of governance at the local level and their broader implications at the international level, where a state's legitimacy depends on its democratic credentials, Citizenship and the Legitimacy of Governance initiates a comparative discussion of the relationship between established moralities, politics, law and civil society in a highly diversified region with a strong history of cultural exchange. Demonstrating that a comparative anthropological analysis has much to offer to our understanding, this volume reveals that the city is a crucial arena for the renegotiation of citizenship, democracy and belonging.