Conditional Citizens: On Belonging in America

Across the collection, Lalami points out examples of what citizenship is and is not. How would you define citizenship, and how can every person benefit from the full enjoyment of your version of citizenship? How does your view differ from those presented in the text?

A continuing debate about citizenship is determining who can become a citizen. Are there any restrictions on citizenship that could be justified? Identify at least three contemporary restrictions placed on citizens, and discuss whether these constraints are justified.

Lalami grieves the terrorist attacks that America faces but acknowledges a secondary grief over their impact on public perception of Muslim and Arab people. How can society try to relieve this secondary grief? How can similar grievances experienced by other groups that are often held accountable for the actions of individuals within their identity group be resolved?