Citizenship, Dispossession and Demands for Justice in the Global South

ABSTRACT In this introduction to the Special Issue we frame a “dispossession‐citizenship nexus” that generates fresh insights on citizenship dynamics in the Global South. We focus on rural and peri‐urban areas where all citizens are not granted the same bundle of rights and specific categories of citizens are particularly exposed to dispossession of their land by state and corporate entities. Although often justified in the name of development, victims may experience dispossession as unjust and demand redress from state and other authorities. Drawing on cross‐regional in‐depth studies gathered in the Special Issue, we ask: how does citizenship shape land dispossession and demands for redress and conversely, how do struggles against dispossession reshape citizenship? We conclude that victims’ demands are centered on recognition, due process, and the right to make decisions about their land and future – demands that if met, would rework the bundle of rights accorded to them as citizens.