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Sociology

The Anthropology of Citizenship Ceremonies and National Belonging Rituals

Quick fact

In many countries, including the U.S. and Canada, citizenship ceremonies are legally binding—the oath of allegiance is not just symbolic; it is a formal requirement that officially grants citizenship. Yet anthropologists argue these ceremonies are also intense rituals that transform a person's social identity, attaching them emotionally to their new nation.

Why this is interesting

You may have seen a citizenship ceremony on TV: a group of people standing, hand on heart, reciting an oath. But what is really happening when a person becomes a citizen? Why do nations put so much effort into these rituals?