An investigation into the meanings of good citizenship

The notion of good citizenship is a neglected concept within the theoretical literature and in empirical investigations. The field of citizenship studies is now vast and multidisciplinary yet there has not been a specific study aimed solely at uncovering what it means to be a good citizen. This research responds to this deficiency by undertaking a theoretical analysis of the components of good citizenship, combined with the creation of a consensus view of citizenship experts and a set of lay perspectives on good citizenship. The methodology is concerned with examining the characteristics of good citizenship from an expert point of view using a modified Delphi study. Two methods of data collection—semi-structured interviews and focus groups—were used to research the lay perspectives on what it means to be a good citizen. [Continues.]