Abstract

In our current era of globalization many have turned toward theories of cosmopolitanism as a means of fostering a sense of global citizenship. Often such theories promote our shared humanity at the expense of our cultural diversity. Yet, as regions of the globe continue to diversify we need to search for ways in which these communities will be capable of engaging in inter-cultural and interpersonal pursuits without having to eschew or eradicate our differences in the process. Thus, this paper will argue for a re-conceptualized form of cosmopolitanism as an ethos that is capable of forging a middle ground between universalism and particularism by enabling individuals and communities to cultivate an open attitude toward that which is foreign and different without having to eschew their own cultural particularities or their partiality toward their own communities. Through an analysis and re-conceptualization of the ideas of “diaspora,” “proximity,” “partiality,” and the “foreign” it will be suggested that through our rootedness in particularity – our ability to be partial to particular persons and identify with particular places – we are capable of creating a sense of world citizenship on both interpersonal and intercultural levels.