CITIZENSHIP AND TOTEMISM. A CASE STUDY OF ROMANIAN CITIZENSHIP IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE XIX-TH CENTURY

Abstract

Talking about totemism in the XIX-th century is, in itself, a daring and original academic endeavor, since this type of social organization is still considered specific to primitive communities. Due to the studying at the same time of the structure and the essential elements that compound the totemic system and the study of citizenship/nationalism as a specific way of hierarchically organize the society of the XIX-th century states, a series of similarities arouse. So, I wandered if not in fact one can see and reevaluate the totemic system from the point of view of an archetype of human social organization. I aim to show that there are sufficient arguments to reconsider and rethink totemism and also the concept/institution of citizenship, beginning with the first half of the XIX-th century, in Romanian Principalities. From my point of view, gaining acceptance and understanding on this particular subject will improve the overall perspective on human evolution in time and finally to identify new ways of understanding and dealing with the current issues we face today.

Keywords

• First half of the XIX-th century
• Citizenship
• Totemism
• United Principalities