Modem conceptions of social contract, consent and 'rights' provide a pervasive and influential framework for thinking about citizenship. As a consequence of globalisation this quasi-juridical view of citizenship, though conceived in terms of the nation-state, is being appropriated and applied to the international sphere. The paper argues that the increasing emphasis on regionalism, which is an important consequence of globalisation, makes possible a return to an older and potentially more productive conception of citizenship, one based on friendship.