In ancient society, citizenship is a highly appreciated and protected value. However, the city is inhabited not only by citizens but also by numerous groups of non-citizens who contribute substantially to its functioning. For example, women, children, slaves, and metics are integral parts of the city, yet they typically lack citizenship status with its responsibilities and privileges. This exclusive attitude towards citizenship then opens up a dual perspective: on the one hand, it invites an examination of the ideological support for restrictive and exclusionary citizenship practices; on the other hand, it invites an exploration of possible inclusive approaches.

For instance, in a broader sense, the children and wives of adult male citizens were part of the civic body because male children would grow up to be full citizens, and wives would give birth to the next generation of full citizens. Women were also entrusted with significant ritual duties on behalf of the state.

These facts invite consideration of the range of statuses, including the shadow places between citizen and non-citizen status and possible transition points. Accordingly, the conference welcomes papers reflecting theoretical discussions on the structure of the polis and the role of its various components, on the specific status of women, children, foreigners, slaves, and freedmen/freedwomen, on fundamental distinctions between the status of a citizen and non-citizen, on the methods of transition between immature and full citizenship status, and, in general, on the development and transformation of state policies regarding the admission of citizenship in Greece and Rome – whether exclusive and restrictive or relatively inclusive and incorporative.