Index IntroductionHistorical PerspectiveDefinition of CitizenshipImplications in the BalkansConclusionIntroductionIf we look from a very simplistic perspective, almost all people are citizens of at least one country in the world. This confers certain rights and obligations. Additionally, people can have “multiple or dual citizenship,” meaning they are citizens of two or more nations. However, being a citizen is much more than being an inhabitant of some country or region of the world, and this should not be forgotten. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Due to the recent conflict in the Balkan region, especially in the states of former Yugoslavia, the discussion on the concept of citizenship is inevitable for the future development of the region in Total. Understanding citizenship, the rights and virtues of citizens along with duties is essential. Through this essay we will try to explore the historical perspective of citizenship, some of the definitions, as well as its implications in the Balkan region. The conclusion will be presented at the end of this written work. Historical Perspective If we went back centuries to the Greek state, we would see that women and slaves were not seen as citizens. Only privileged people had the status of citizens. The Greek terms "ethnos" and "demos" have the same connotation in the Balkan countries and represent people. It is important to distinguish that the term citizenship derives from the word demos, which represents "common people of an ancient Greek state"[1] - like the Latin plebs, while ethnos represents the nation. In ancient Greece, a man over the age of 18 acquired civil status and rights. During the Roman Empire, citizenship was acquired at birth or granted by generals or emperors. The value of the right to vote was closely linked to wealth and property. Furthermore, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, adopted on August 26, 1789 by the French National Assembly during the French Revolution[2], had a significant influence on politics and social democracy. through the adoption of articles on the freedom and equality of citizens. More recently, when we talk about citizenship in the European context, the lies contained in the "Final Declaration" approved on the occasion of the Second Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the member states of the Council of Europe in October 1997 are significant, where in Its Action Plan affirms the importance of Education for Democratic Citizenship.[3]Definition of citizenshipCitizenship is a very broad term and can be seen from numerous perspectives. To date, there is no common definition and interpretation of citizenship. It is often seen as a set of civil, political and social rights and obligations towards the state. This represents legal citizenship and can largely be linked to patriotism regarding nation-state identity. However, Karen O'Hara presents a new concept of citizenship in which the term citizen is described as "a person who coexists in society"[ 4]. This means that it was necessary to develop a more holistic view of the concept, emphasizing that the idea of ​​citizen is no longer focused only on the state and authority. Instead, community has become a place that encompasses the local, regional, national, and international context in which humans live. Being an active citizen does not just mean participating in voting and choosing your representatives. It's about much more. It should encompass a whole range of activities that in one way or another influence the lives of individuals. T. H. Marshall suggested that citizenship canbe effective only when it guarantees access to three main types of rights. In this way he identifies three components of citizenship: the civil component, which includes rights regarding individual freedom; the political component - for example the right to participate in the exercise of political power and to vote and participate in parliamentary institutions; The social component of citizenship, which refers to the right to the prevailing standard of living and equal access to education, healthcare, housing and a minimum level of income.[5] Citizenship is based on law, which means it is abstract as law itself. However, we must not forget the cultural dimension of citizenship. Even more, citizens' active participation in social issues should be promoted rather than passive acceptance of everything that is offered. In this way, civil duties and virtues would be emphasized as a way to promote human rights in pluralist societies. In recent times, the question is how to connect the concept of citizenship to a society and not predominantly to the state. The transition from state citizenship to social citizenship requires the positive inclusion of identity. The new role should not glorify the nation-state, but promote a complex social formation in which there is room for a greater number of non-conflicting identities. [6] As a result, we would achieve greater social solidarity and tolerance in which personal and citizen identities are valued. A crucial part of democratic citizenship lies in the ideas of equality, diversity and social justice. To achieve this, it is essential to have good contact between people and policy makers. People's needs and individual freedoms, as well as the common good, should be respected and defined through policies that are, if not satisfactory for everyone, at least reasonable for the moment. Implications in the Balkans Historically, Europe is a continent where conflicts and cultural exchanges have been so frequent. closely interconnected and tied together so much so that it is difficult to distinguish where one ends and the other begins. Cultural exchanges are themselves a source of tension if not outright conflict.[7] With the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia and recent wars, the concept of citizenship has changed for most people. As a result, problems arise in all three components of citizenship; civil, political and social. Individual freedoms were violated, political power was assigned to the majority, the standard of living was very low and there was certainly no equality in health, education and housing. Furthermore, there was a problem in the ability to respect and coexist with other cultures. "Common people" see the cause of inequality in the drastically changed status of some citizens. Those citizens no longer knew where to fit in because overnight they became a minority, both in terms of nationality and way of thinking. Their dual citizenship was not immediately acceptable. As mentioned above, the glorification of the nation-state should be isolated to the Balkan region. By creating strong national identities among the citizens of the Balkan countries, we will strongly divide them and this seems to be the main goal of the majority of political parties today. The joint national identity should refer to the common history, language and feeling of belonging. Unfortunately, this feeling is impossible to achieve among the citizens of the Balkans. Democratic societies are not always what they make themselves out to be. Even today in so-called democratic societies, such as in the Balkan countries, the majority is very often responsible for the tyranny over..