Globalization and Cosmopolitanism
Cosmopolitanism
The era of globalization has brought about a new wave of integration and interaction on a global scale. Contrary to common belief, globalization is not a new phenomenon as examined by Karl Marx. For thousands of years people across the globe have been doing business, similar to Central Asia’s Silk Road, which connected Europe and China. Contemporary globalization however encompasses a technological infrastructure through the use of the Internet and other modern devices. This sophisticated form of high-tech communication has brought about a new culture all together. Globalization comes with several challenges, which necessitate a positive response. Cosmopolitanism is the only fair and warranted response to the challenges created by globalization. The world is filled with various cultures, practices and traditions. Every nation is different in its own unique ways. A person’s allegiance to any particular nation is determined either by birthplace or hometown. This allegiance allows for individuals to separate themselves from others through citizenship of one specific country. As such mankind has separated themselves with borders where there is no real sense of global community. Martha C. Nussbaum argues that cosmopolitanism is the right way to go since it requires “allegiance… to the worldwide community of human beings” (Nussbaum, pg. 4). Having such an allegiance will ensure good relations, care and responsibility equally amongst all regardless of geographic barriers and borders. Establishing such a universal nationality will counter the challenges of globalization. To determine why cosmopolitanism is a warranted response to the challenges of globalization, it is pertinent to explore them. According to Douglas Kellner in “Theorizing Globalization”, there are positive and negative aspects to globalization as he states “postindustrial society is sometimes referred to as the “knowledge society” or “information society”, in which knowledge and
The era of globalization has brought about a new wave of integration and interaction on a global scale. Contrary to common belief, globalization is not a new phenomenon as examined by Karl Marx. For thousands of years people across the globe have been doing business, similar to Central Asia’s Silk Road, which connected Europe and China. Contemporary globalization however encompasses a technological infrastructure through the use of the Internet and other modern devices. This sophisticated form of high-tech communication has brought about a new culture all together. Globalization comes with several challenges, which necessitate a positive response. Cosmopolitanism is the only fair and warranted response to the challenges created by globalization. The world is filled with various cultures, practices and traditions. Every nation is different in its own unique ways. A person’s allegiance to any particular nation is determined either by birthplace or hometown. This allegiance allows for individuals to separate themselves from others through citizenship of one specific country. As such mankind has separated themselves with borders where there is no real sense of global community. Martha C. Nussbaum argues that cosmopolitanism is the right way to go since it requires “allegiance… to the worldwide community of human beings” (Nussbaum, pg. 4). Having such an allegiance will ensure good relations, care and responsibility equally amongst all regardless of geographic barriers and borders. Establishing such a universal nationality will counter the challenges of globalization. To determine why cosmopolitanism is a warranted response to the challenges of globalization, it is pertinent to explore them. According to Douglas Kellner in “Theorizing Globalization”, there are positive and negative aspects to globalization as he states “postindustrial society is sometimes referred to as the “knowledge society” or “information society”, in which knowledge and
Cited: Nussbaum, Martha Craven, and Joshua Cohen. For love of country? . Boston: Beacon Press, 2002. Print. Taylor, Charles, and Amy Gutmann. Multiculturalism: examining the politics of recognition. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1994. Print. realism, the schools of, and neo-realism. They took the sovereign. " Jarle Simensen - Democracy and Globalization: Nineteen Eighty-nine and the "Third Wave" - Journal of World History 10:2." Project MUSE. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2011. .