Cosmopolitanism

From the Greek κοςμοπολις, cosmopolitanism is the belief that individuals should aspire to universal citizenship and denounce localized cultures. Ancient Greek cosmopolitans pronounced themselves citizens of the world (cosmos). The contemporary philosophical notion is that all humanity is of a single moral community. In common vernacular, cosmpolitan refers to personal affinity for sites of intercultural contact. Regardless of the definition, cosmopolitanism has implications for individual and collective cultural identities. This entry explores the history of ...