Citizenship Rights in the Kurdistan Region-Iraq through the Lens of Thomas Humphrey Marshall's Theory of Citizenship

Abstract

This article explores the status of citizenship rights in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq through the analytical lens of T.H. Marshall’s theory of citizenship (1893–1981). Marshall, a distinguished British sociologist, is widely regarded as the founding theorist of modern citizenship. His sociological framework conceptualizes the historical evolution of citizenship as a progressive expansion of rights—civil, political, and social—embedded within the legal structures that underpin the recognition and legitimacy of citizenship. According to Marshall, citizenship rights are not static but constitute a dynamic and continuous process of development and institutionalization. Accordingly, these rights are enshrined in the constitutional texts of most modern states. However, the infringement or neglect of these rights disrupts the relationship between citizens and political institutions, fostering a sense of estrangement and disempowerment among individuals within the social order.

This study employs a theoretical-analytical methodology to assess the current state of citizenship rights in the Kurdistan Region within the framework of Marshall’s theory. The principal objective is to critically examine how civil, political, and social rights are recognized and implemented in the region.

 The findings indicate that while these categories of rights are formally acknowledged, their practical realization remains limited. Social rights—such as access to healthcare, education, and employment—are inadequately provided.

 Political rights suffer from structural inequalities along lines of ethnicity, religion, sect, and ideology, which hinder equal political participation. Moreover, fundamental civil rights are frequently violated; journalists and political activists are subjected to persecution based on partisan affiliations or critical expression. Restrictions on freedom of speech, press, assembly, and protest are pervasive, undermining the foundational principles of democratic citizenship.