The Benefits Of Cosmopolitanism

In the following part, I review the meaning and limits of borders within the cosmopolitan theory. Cosmopolitanism is discussed from different viewpoints. For instance, from the European governance perspective, as well as from a more institutional and economic perspective. In addition, some social scientist and philosophers have reflected upon cosmopolitan thinking, such as Kant (Held, 2002; Cheah, 1998). In the below part some of the perspectives on cosmopolitanism linked to (European) border work is discussed. In this paper the authors Balibar, Held, Cheah and Rumford are used to this discussion. Nevertheless, many more scholars have contributed to this discussion. Yet, these four authors give a broad view upon cosmopolitanism from different

Some feel borders as limits others as benefits. Benefits from borders can be found in the effect it can have when crossing and re-crossing them. It might not change its location but its meaning. It no longer stops people from going to the other side of it. It creates the opportunity to cross and share information, culture, economic benefits and so on. In other words, borders are sometimes remained or created for the purpose of bringing benefits for some or limits for others. In this sense, this type of border work is cosmopolitan, because it creates equal opportunities to everyone to participate in the border work. As is mentioned, not only government institutions, also businesses and citizens can do border work. However, some of the latter actors do get their border work before someone else is doing it. This implicates no cosmopolitism, since it does not create an equality. This equality within cosmopolitan thinking is argued by Kant and criticised by both Held (2002) and Cheah

However, Cheah (1998) argues that the two are not opposites but similarities. The opponent of cosmopolitan is statism in Cheah’s discussion on cosmopolitanism. While nationalism is defined as a bond between nation and territorial state. Also, cosmopolitan thinking through Kant did not oppose nationalism, nor did nation-states in the form of today exist. In the world of today the globalisation has resulted in an uneven development and has led to nationalist movements. These nationalist movements are a step in the direction of social redistribution, which the cosmopolitan is looking for too (Held,