Article: Citizenship as transnational mobility capital Journal: International Journal of Migration and Border Studies (IJMBS) 2026 Vol.9 No.6 pp.115 - 131 Abstract: While both de facto and de jure inequalities in global mobility have been well documented, the interplay between law, global mobility, and socioeconomic inequalities remains under-conceptualised. Building on Kaufmann's notion of motility as mobility capital, this article develops the concept of transnational mobility capital to capture an individual's legally mediated capacity for cross-border movement and residence. Despite widespread influence in mobilities research, mobility capital has not been systematically theorised in legal scholarship. To demonstrate the concept in a legal context, the article conceptualises citizenship as a key distributor of mobility capital and a legal platform that enables the conversion of economic, social, or cultural capital into enhanced capacities for movement. The article complements existing research on de jure and de facto mobility inequalities by showing that law not only governs access to global mobility but also structures the conditions under which different forms of capital can translate into increased capacities for movement. Ultimately, the article proposes transnational mobility capital as a promising analytical framework to better measure and analyse the often invisible role of law in producing and reproducing socio-spatial stratifications at the global scale. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Citizenship as transnational mobility capital

Authors: Christian Brown Prener

Addresses: Center of Excellence for Global Mobility Law (MOBILE), Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen, Karen Blixens Pl. 16, 2300, Copenhagen

Abstract: While both de facto and de jure inequalities in global mobility have been well documented, the interplay between law, global mobility, and socioeconomic inequalities remains under-conceptualised. Building on Kaufmann's notion of motility as mobility capital, this article develops the concept of transnational mobility capital to capture an individual's legally mediated capacity for cross-border movement and residence. Despite widespread influence in mobilities research, mobility capital has not been systematically theorised in legal scholarship. To demonstrate the concept in a legal context, the article conceptualises citizenship as a key distributor of mobility capital and a legal platform that enables the conversion of economic, social, or cultural capital into enhanced capacities for movement. The article complements existing research on de jure and de facto mobility inequalities by showing that law not only governs access to global mobility but also structures the conditions under which different forms of capital can translate into increased capacities for movement. Ultimately, the article proposes transnational mobility capital as a promising analytical framework to better measure and analyse the often invisible role of law in producing and reproducing socio-spatial stratifications at the global scale.

Keywords: mobility capital; transnational; motility; mobility inequality; citizenship; visa; passport power; conversion; capability approach; freedom of movement; legal infrastructures.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMBS.2026.156407

International Journal of Migration and Border Studies, 2026 Vol.9 No.6, pp.115 - 131

Received: 30 Jun 2025
Accepted: 27 Mar 2026
Published online: 16 Sep 2026 *

Title: Citizenship as transnational mobility capital

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