本文以觀念史的途徑，闡釋西方之公民身分與權利的嬗遞。其旨 趣在於說明自13世紀以至18世紀的法國革命，公民之身分與權利隨著不同之時代脈絡以及各種理論的解釋，而呈現多重性以及歷史的 特殊性。依這種解釋的觀點，本文反思當前我們以民族國家為經緯所 形成的公民身分與權利之「統合性」模式的有效性。沿順這反思的脈絡，本文以Seyla Benhabib的「分解性的公民身分」與「民主之重述」的觀念為取向，闡釋多重性之公民身分的民主意涵，其基本的論證在 於，民主社會承認公民身分與權利的多重性。涉及它們彼此的對立、衝突，民主提供給各種公民身分及權利得以表達自身的談論域境，經過彼此對民主之原初意義的爭議以及相互干涉，一方面擴充民主及公民身分的涵義；另一方面則防制摧毀性之衝突。

This essay is to illustrate the historical change of the ideas of citizenship in Western Europe from 13th to 18th Century. The main thesis this essay tries to argue is as follows: Since 13th Century onward, the ideas and practices of citizenship have been unfolded in historical contexts and elaborated under various theoretical frameworks. From this, it follow that citizenships have no essence, but historical and multiple characteristics. On the basis of this perspective, this essay critically reflects on the current model of unity of citizenships which is established on the ideal of nation-state on the one hand, and tries to interpret the democratic implication of the idea of multiple citizenship through the exposition of Seyla Benhabib’s concepts of “disintegrative citizenship” and “iterations of democracy” on the other hand.