political activism and art

By way of clarification, there are contested views of what constitutes citizenship. Some argue that it is implicitly bounded by the nation-state and therefore is meaningless without a legislative and juridical system that polices an individual’s status within a geopolitical space. This view focuses on the rights of an individual in terms of the benefits they accrue under a state’s protection. Conflicts arise between state and citizen due to the reality of migration, dual identities, resident aliens, minorities within a population where governments, particularly in the United States, struggle to justify democratic commitments and values (articulated in the Constitution) while exploiting those who are not recognised as citizens but who contribute to a nations economy, its labor force and social fabric.

http://www.artandeducation.net/paper/political-activism-and-art-a-consideration-of-the-implications-of-new-developments-in-practice/