A citizen is a person who has full rights and responsibilities as a member of a nation or political community. Citizenship can be conferred by birth, nationality of one or both parents, naturalization, or election. Citizenship rights can include the right to vote, run for office, hold public office, receive education, benefit from social security, and live and work in a country. Citizenship duties can include paying taxes, obeying the law, and serving in the military.
Being a good citizen means that you care about your country and want it to be the best that it can be. It also means that you will sacrifice your own personal interests for the betterment of the country. For example, you might give up a job in order to help the economy of your country. You might serve your country by volunteering for a cause or even risking your life in order to protect the people of your country.
Most people think that being a good citizen involves voting, paying your taxes, and obeying the law. However, the concept of being a good citizen is much more than that. A good citizen must understand how government works, follow news and politics, and protest when the government does something wrong. This isn’t easy in an era where the news is often filled with opinion and misinformation and TV is loaded with partisan spin. The only way to be sure that you are following the truth is to read newspapers and books from different perspectives.
Another dimension of citizenship is having a sense of belonging to a common culture. This can be developed through learning about history and other cultures and engaging with them in meaningful ways. Being a good citizen requires that you respect other people’s cultures and try to find common ground.
Many of the young adults we interviewed described a need to change the way society defines what it means to be a citizen. Mainstream definitions of citizenship may not resonate with young adults who are seeking to effect positive change in their communities.
It is also important to note that the concept of a citizen has a different meaning in the context of the global village. Many people who identify as citizens of the world have a global perspective and recognize that they have responsibilities to all people around the globe. These individuals understand that human cultures, the environment, and economics all connect with each other and have a profound impact on the quality of life on this planet.
The most common examples that students see on the news of people acting as citizens involve donating food for hurricane victims or building houses for the homeless. However, very few people appear on the news for going to town hall meetings or calling their representatives to express their concerns about an issue that affects them. In addition, most young people do not feel that they have the opportunity to participate in the political process in a regular way.