Citizenship and Welfare: Implications for Education, EDC116-6 Essay

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of citizenship and welfare in the 21st century, examining their definitions, challenges, and implications for education. The essay begins by defining citizenship and welfare from various academic perspectives, including philosophy and sociology. It then explores the implications of citizenship and welfare within specific settings, such as the context of dual citizenship. The report analyzes the role of citizenship and welfare in shaping individuals and societies, with a focus on the Indian education system and its societal context. The essay also discusses the challenges and inequalities within education systems, including issues related to caste and gender. The essay incorporates several academic sources to support its arguments and concludes by emphasizing the significance of citizenship and welfare for the quality of individual lives. The essay highlights the importance of 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking and problem-solving, and how these skills are developed through education. The essay also discusses the benefits of citizenship education, such as the ability to make informed decisions and participate in a democracy. The essay also provides an in-depth analysis of dual citizenship, its benefits, and its challenges. The essay concludes by emphasizing the importance of citizenship and welfare for shaping a better society.

Citizenship and education in
21st century

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAINBODY...................................................................................................................................3
Definition of citizenship and welfare..........................................................................................3
Challenge the implication of citizenship and welfare within a specific setting...........................6
Role of citizenship and welfare...................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Citizenship and education are essential factor for the today’s world because it improves
quality of individual’s life. 21st century skills are critical thinking, problem solving,
communication collaboration and innovation etc. crucial for the today’s world and these skills
are developed in the student while studying core subjects. A good education system is
responsible for the social welfare because it learns student to balance work life with social life
and shapes society in effective manner (Yuda, 2018). There are various benefits of citizenship
education such as it gives sense in a citizen to give right vote in election. Citizen can perform
vital role in shaping a decision country makes in a democracy. The report provides
understanding about citizenship and welfare in contempory setting. It includes variety of
education system in India which offers in society based on the caste system and women in the
report.
MAINBODY
Definition of citizenship and welfare
As per the view of Barbulescu and Favell, (2020), citizenship is a type of position of
being a good citizen. When a person has citizenship in the country then they have right to work
there, vote, live and pay taxes. Citizenship gains by fulfil the legal requirement of a national and
local government. When nation provides citizenship to the person that means it has granted all
rights and privilege to it’s citizen and in return, citizen hopes to obey all the laws of country and
protects them from enemies. While citizen is the participatory member of the political society
who obey country’s law effectively and enjoy their citizenship by consuming all facilities which
are granted by government. It is important for everyone because it supports to improve self-
confidence and effectively deals with life changes and challenges i.e. bullying and
discrimination. It gives high understanding to understand human rights such as right of
expression, vote, live receive federal assistance and others. There are numerous types of
citizenship in the world which is designed by different government in their states such as
citizenship by birth, citizenship by marriage and citizenship and economic citizenship. It gives
right to individual for protecting their rights in front of the governmental authority, states and

nations determine own citizenship of the person as per their policies, regulation which entitle to a
citizenship.
According to Bell, (2020), welfare refers as a state that perform well in term of good fortune,
happiness, wellbeing and prosperity of the country. It is a type of government help for the
citizens of the community or society. Welfare provides by the government to the people in term
of income level along with social security. The main goal of the government is to ensure that
people fulfil all basic human needs i.e. food and shelter. There are various types of welfare such
as economical welfare, state welfare and human welfare. Welfare state is a type of governing
whereas national government plays important role in the safety and elevation of the economic
and social welfare or wellbeing of its citizen. While economic welfare is referred to the level of
wellbeing and standard of living of weather an individuals or group of people in the society. The
major benefit of the welfare is to offer financial benefits to limited time to the low-income
families so that they can survive in the society like others. it also offers non-financial benefits i.e.
child care and job training to make the low-income families efficient to improve standard of
living. Citizenship and welfare are the foundation of the country which helps to make country
more productive and greater across the world.
Some authors Devine and Cockburn, (2018), have criticized of welfare through their published
research paper such as welfare does not help modern household. For example, some countries
has set BPL scale (below poverty line) which they determine by annual income of individuals
and family, household size and disability. Modern household size means when a family has six
people who has annual income below the BPL scale but after that government disqualifies them
from the all benefits associate BPL scale. The reason behind is that government follows old
household size whereas measures how many people qualify for the benefits. When government
finds that individual family has six people that means they are not qualify to take advantage of
welfare benefits. Some writers said that welfare is designed to provide efficient resources when
there is a high need but here are various people who always try to take advantage of this welfare
system. It causes some people who actually needs resources, unable to take benefit of the
welfare system. So, it is major drawback of the welfare system. In addition, government
organizes welfare programs for the poor people so that they can redeem their life effectively. The
welfare programs include job training provision and other benefits for the poor people. But there

are various welfare programs in which does not include this option which makes skilled people
into unskilled people because they get few opportunities for the job. It shows numerous welfare
programs does not address major root of the poverty.
However, Dósa, (2018), perspectives social welfare system supports individuals and families
through welfare programs i.e. health care, food stamps, unemployment compensation, shelter as
well as child care supports. These type services offer by government to the people who has low
financial status and unable to survive in the state or country. Before offering financial and non-
financial supports accessed certain factors by government authorities such as family unit, current
income level and disability that causes individuals and family unable to live their life efficiently
like others. Each government of the country organizes social welfare system in the form of
seminar, function to fulfil basic human needs of poor people. Welfare program is the government
initiative for the poor people in which offers highly discounted goods and services to them. State
government sets a economic scale range for those people and family who seeks assistance.
government require that each individual and family must give evidence that their annual income
is below to the federal poverty level then they eligible to get economical and non-economical
supports. While some Duarte, (2019), have highlighted in the published research paper about
sociology perspective for the citizenship and welfare. According to them, sociology is the whole
study of human social life which helps to understand about significance of human rights,
citizenship and their wellbeing in the society. When people get citizenship of the country that
means they enable to take benefits all the rights of citizenship as well as punishment while
breaching rules. The main goal of the sociology is to implement suck knowledge to follow all
governmental policies which are organized to benefit the social welfare. While philosophy of
citizenship and welfare is related to education system. The philosophy expresses that education is
only source which makes individual a good citizen and leads understanding to determine
difference between wrong and right in the context of social law and rights. A good education
system helps student to gain knowledge about human rights, politics and social context which
they apply in the practical action. Sociology gives understanding about history of human which
individual apply in the action. While philosophy gives a way that how they can apply these
action effectively by giving education. That’s why philosophy is the key point for individual
development which they read in school through core subjects.

However, some Duffy, (2016), have criticized above mentioned concept through their articles
that sociology and philosophy are designed to develop individuals a ideal citizen so that they can
shape better society. While philosophy defines education system which gives understanding
about sociology in the student from the initial stage and address them what is human rights and
how they can apply in their practice life. But each country modify philosophy as per their laws
and classifies into different education systems. It leads inequality in society in term of caste
system and women and education system. These type inequalities can find in India whereas
people get education based on the culture, gender and types of education. For example there are
various cities in the countries whereas society still keeps hypocritic type thinking and
discriminate with people based on the gender and caste.
Challenge the implication of citizenship and welfare within a specific setting
Edmiston. and Humpage, (2018) have quoted about dual citizenship in their research
paper. Dual citizenship means when a person takes nationality of two countries at time. But each
country has rules and regulation on the basis of their own policy. There are numerous benefits of
dual citizenship such as individuals can receive benefits and privileges of each country which are
granted by state government while taking nationality. In addition, dual citizen allows to give vote
in both countries and may enable to run their business in each country based on the law. There is
an example to understand concept of dual citizenship such as when a person born in US that
means he gets nationality of US and when he grown up then he takes nationality of UK country
by meeting all legal requirement of the government associated citizenship. That means a person
enable to take advantage of all facilities which are granted by the government while taking
citizenship of the country. To take dual citizenship is allowed in limited countries while some
countries does not allow a citizen to take citizenship of other country. Dual citizenship helps
person to make their career broader and leads prosperity in the society.
Gibson, Crossland and Hamilton, (2018) have illustrated an example to understand
significance of dual citizenship such as when a child born in the India so he automatically gets
nationality of India then he grown up and wants to study in the UK country for the master’s
degree, in that situation he have to take nationality UK country and gets benefits to travel in both
countries UK and India through the passport. In other word, he enables to get two passports
which reduces requirement of visa and question about the purpose of trip. Passport gives right to

individual of entry in both countries without any interruption. Dual citizens get benefit of being
immerged in the two countries cultures. Most of the countries also wants dual citizenship in their
countries because it promotes image of the country as a prime destination for the tourist. The
major benefit of the dual citizenship is that individual gets chance to learn two language of
different countries, history and culture which leads prosperity for both country and society.
However, Lafleur and Mescoli, (2018) have criticized the concept of citizenship in their
published articles that citizenship possess some drawbacks for example when people have dual
citizenship, in that situation, they have to pay double taxation. Dual citizenship is the long and
expensive process because people have to prove themselves as per the other country’s legal
requirement associated with citizenship. In addition, they become bound by the rule and
regulation of the two countries. It is highly complicated process so it requires expertise of
qualified experts who can make dual citizenship easier for the people. These are the major
drawbacks of the dual citizenship which faces by people while operating their business.
As illustrated by Nunez, (2018), there are some other challenges of citizenship and
welfare which faces by citizens. There is an example of India country whereas people can get
citizenship of country when they have born place in India and their parents has citizenship of
country then people can get citizenship easily. In other case when people born in India and their
parents has ben completed 5 year in the India, in that state, they are not able to get citizenship of
country. As same case implements for the Pakistan such as when people come from Pakistan
during division and starts to live in India, in that situation Indian government gives them
citizenship as minority. There are various constitutions of citizenship which implement each and
every citizen who have citizenship of India. Education system of the India is not good because
there has various caste system which causes inequality faces by citizens. For example, Indian
government has goal to maintain individual wellbeing in the country either they are from
different cast or country. They set a criterion such as Muslim community and other casts which
has low population in the country as compared others then government has classified them into
minority scale and empowers them by offering reservation in each sector i.e. government jobs,
sports, education, culture and others which has developed discrimination between different casts.
This type discriminations specially sees in the education system whereas eligible person who
gets good marks and wins all competition for getting good collage but they do not get collage.

On the other hand, another person who does not get good marks and completes few competitions
to get collage and they get collage due to reservation weather they do not have good marks or
less appreciating performance. it demonstrates inequality which is done by government.
While others perspectives Reeves and Loopstra, (2017), India has inequality in gender as well
which causes women have to leave their study or job. For example, discrimination faces by
women in the workplace whereas they do not get equal opportunity like male to develop
themselves. There are various cities in India whereas women have to face discrimination in
various sectors such as private organizations. These organization keeps diversity in the
workplace and provides jobs to women but does not give appropriate salary like male. Even most
of the companies does not involve women in some serious tasks because they think women
cannot perform the task effectively. Thus, women as employees discriminates by the employers
and other staff in the workplace.
Stephens, (2017) have highlighted the concept of inequality in Indian country in their
published research papers. According to them currently Indian society suffers from various
substantial inequalities in education system, income based on caste, employment and ethnicity.
India is famous as multi-ethnicity country because it contains rich cultures in the society and
provides them equal resource to consume. Still there have inequality in gender such as women in
Indian society considers a second-class citizen in a tradition bound in the male dominating
society which is not implement all over the world except India. There are numerous countries
whereas women have liberty to choose education as per their choice and acquires skills like man.
Foreign countries women have liberty to marry in other caste and live their life as per their
norms in the society. While, in India has various states which forces women to live their life as
society norms for example condition of women in Tamil Nadu, women and Hindu traditions,
women’s role in society, socio-economic status of women in the Pakistan, women in Bangladesh
and other. These are the main place where women are discriminated by society in education, job
opportunity and gender inequality.
Hebert, (2018) has survey about women condition in India in their books and gives
example of Islamic women’s education condition in the Pakistan in their books that Islamic
women’s condition in the Pakistan does not good or too measurable because Pakistan’s
government does not give any right to women to get higher education and does not allow them to

do job in other countries. Islamic women do not allow to marry in other caste in Pakistan. While
male gets all rights as citizen in the Pakistan and allows them to do job anywhere and to do
marry as per their choice. It shows Islamic women are treated unfairly and misbehave with them
in the Pakistan.
Role of citizenship and welfare
Grignoli and Serban, (2018) said in the book that there are many issues which are faced
by women like gender, caste bias, sexual behaviour and harassment, education and welfare and
justice. So, government takes strict action to root out these evils against women and has imposed
various rules in the context of women rights. The book has encompassed laws and provision of
benefiting women in Indian constitution against inequality, discrimination basis on gender,
sexual harassment and atrocities and welfare activities. It has included social legislation such as
marriage and divorce law, dowry, social security, wage policy, occupation rights and human
rights etc. designs for the advantage of women. Indian government organizes various welfare
systems for promoting women equally and eliminating discrimination. This welfare system gives
high contribution to redeem women status in all over states of India. 21st century has started
whereas all women are treated equally in many states and promotes them to work in each sector
by the Indian government. There are various social welfares conduct by government to learn
society that they treat fairly to all women in each sector i.e. education, employment, ethnicity
and others. While citizenship gives legal rights to the people to live their life as per their norms
and comply with all laws and regulation of government while consuming privilege of citizenship.
Indian government has banned dual citizenship in India so that no one cannot take dual
advantage or creates terrorism for the people. Thus, citizenship and welfare help people to live
their life effectively and maintains their wellbeing in the country.
CONCLUSION
The brief study has been concluded significance of citizenship and welfare such as
citizenship education was essential for the student because it made society better. The main goal
of the citizenship education was to teach students to work in the team and used this education in
the practical action can be summarized in report. It can be summarized critique definition of
citizenship and welfare from the variety of authors’ perspectives. Challenges the implication of

citizenship and welfare within specific setting of laws within convection has been concluded in
report. It provided acknowledgement about dual citizenship and its drawback for the citizen.
Role citizenship and welfare in the citizens life can be conclude in this report.
REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Barbulescu, R. and Favell, A., 2020. Commentary: A Citizenship without Social Rights? EU
Freedom of Movement and Changing Access to Welfare Rights. International
Migration, 58(1), pp.151-165.
Bell, J., 2020, March. Queering the “Welfare Queen”: Poverty politics and the shaping of sexual
citizenship in the twentieth-century United States. BASS.
Devine, D. and Cockburn, T., 2018. Theorizing children’s social citizenship: New welfare states
and inter-generational justice. Childhood, 25(2), pp.142-157.
Dósa, M., 2018. Welfare and citizenship. The Case for a Democratic Approach to the Welfare
State. Intersections. East European Journal of Society and Politics, 4(1), pp.45-65.
Duarte, F., 2019. The Politics of Austerity and Social Citizenship Rights: A Case Study of the
Impact of the 2008 Financial Crisis on the Welfare State in Portugal (Doctoral
dissertation, Carleton University).
Duffy, S., 2016. Citizenship and the welfare state. Centre for Welfare Reform.
Mew, H., 2018. Book review: welfare, inequality and social citizenship by Daniel
Edmiston. LSE Business Review.
Edmiston, D. and Humpage, L., 2018. Resistance or resignation to welfare reform? The activist
politics for and against social citizenship. Policy & Politics, 46(3), pp.467-484.
Gibson, S., Crossland, M. and Hamilton, J., 2018. Social citizenship and immigration:
Employment, welfare, and effortfulness in online discourse concerning migration to the
United Kingdom. Qualitative Psychology, 5(1), p.99.
Lafleur, J.M. and Mescoli, E., 2018. Creating undocumented EU migrants through welfare: A
conceptualization of undeserving and precarious citizenship. Sociology, 52(3), pp.480-
496.
Nunez, D., 2018. Citizenship Gaps.
Reeves, A. and Loopstra, R., 2017. ‘Set up to fail’? How welfare conditionality undermines
citizenship for vulnerable groups. Social Policy and Society, 16(2), pp.327-338.

Stephens, M., 2017. “A useful and self-respecting citizenship”–Māori as citizens in the quest for
welfare in the Modern New Zealand state. In Citizenship in Transnational
Perspective (pp. 189-208). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Grignoli, D. and Serban, I., 2018. Propulsive Welfare for the Risk Societies: A Project for
Solidarity and Communication in the Social-Health System. Soc. & Soc. Work Rev., 2,
p.6.
Hebert, E.G., 2018. Citizenship, Welfare, and National Sovereignty in Modern Europe. U. Balt.
J. Int'l L., 6, p.56.
Yuda, T.K., 2018. Welfare regime transformation in Indonesia: A citizenship
debate. MASYARAKAT Jurnal Sosiologi, 23(2), pp.143-165.