# Residency **Domain:** Political Status & Governance **Doc Type:** Concept Node **Classification:** Infrastructure Concept **Maturity:** established **Related:** [[Charter Cities]], [[Citizenship]], [[Governance Legitimacy]], [[Rule-Based Governance]], [[Prosperity Zones]] --- ## Definition **Residency** denotes a legal status granting individuals **rights to live, work, and participate in governance** within a specific territorial jurisdiction. Residency can be distinguished from citizenship (national status) and reflects different levels of political inclusion, from temporary sojourner status to permanent resident to full citizen. Residency regimes structure **access to public services, work rights, governance participation, and social benefits**. --- ## General Context In political science and migration studies, residency is a foundational concept that links individuals to territory-based governance. Contemporary migration, mobility, and statelessness have complicated traditional residency frameworks; multiple jurisdictions now offer various residency statuses with different bundles of rights and obligations. --- ## Charter City Context Charter cities experiment with novel [[wiki/Residency|residency]] arrangements offering [[articles/How Charter Cities Could Reshape America|contractual residency]] with defined rights and governance participation. --- ## Key Insight Residency status powerfully shapes life chances and governance influence. Inequitable residency regimes can marginalize populations and concentrate power. --- ## See Also [[Citizenship]], [[Migration]], [[Governance]], [[Political Status]], [[Rights]]