Analyzing Cosmopolitanism's Implications for Developing Nations

This essay undertakes a literature review to analyze the implications of cosmopolitanism for developing nations. The paper begins by defining cosmopolitanism and its core tenets, emphasizing the concept of global citizenship and a unified community. It then explores the relevance of cosmopolitanism to developing nations, highlighting the cultural, political, and economic benefits. The cultural implications discussed include the importance of cultural expression and integration, while the political implications focus on the promotion of political stability and human rights. The economic implications address economic inequality and the need for global market structures. The essay also acknowledges potential weaknesses and challenges associated with cosmopolitanism, such as the modification of cultural traditions, shifting focus from national to global citizenship, and potential adverse effects on national economies. The paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted impacts of cosmopolitanism on developing nations.

Running head: COSMOPOLITANISM AND ITS IMPLICATIONS
A STUDY TO ANALYZE THE IMPLICATIONS OF COSMOPOLITANISM FOR THE
DEVELOPING NATIONS
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................2
2.0 Concept of Cosmopolitanism....................................................................................................3
3.0 Cosmopolitanism and the Developing Nations.........................................................................4
4.0 Implications of Cosmopolitanism for the Developing Nations.................................................5
4.1 Cultural Implications.............................................................................................................5
4.2 Political Implications.............................................................................................................6
4.3 Economic Implications..........................................................................................................7
5.0 Literature Gap............................................................................................................................8
5.1 Summary....................................................................................................................................8
References........................................................................................................................................9

2COSMOPOLITANISM AND ITS IMPLICATIONS
1.0 Introduction
As stated by Hayden (2017), the human beings by their very nature are social creatures
and thereby like to live in groups or communities wherein the members share common moral,
cultural and social value. Skrbiš and Woodward (2016) are of the viewpoint that this desire of
the individuals to be socially connected had given rise to the concept of cosmopolitanism which
advocates the need for the creation of a single community for all the individuals wherein the
individuals would feel at home with the world. More importantly, all the members of this
particular single community would be required to adhere to the moral, social, economic, cultural
and other values which needs to be formulated for the growth as well as the development of the
concerned community. However, Moellendorf (2018) states that the important issue arises since
it had been seen that despite the enhancement of connectedness in the wake of globalization and
the extensive usage of social media platforms it is seen that the individuals still have not been
able to create a single community in synchronicity with the concept of cosmopolitanism.
This becomes especially important from the fact that the different nations itself are
divided into categories like development nations, developing nations, first world nations and
others which in turn had substantially hindered the creation of single community or the creation
of a feeling among the individuals through which they would feel like the citizens of the world
(Nussbaum 2019). On the other hand, Zürn and De Wilde (2016) found that the growth and
development attained by the different member nations of the European Union clearly indicates
the benefits that the developing nations stand to gain through the effective usage of the concepts
of economic, political and other forms of cosmopolitanism which as a matter of fact is an
important strength point of cosmopolitanism. Thus, it can be said that the concept of

3COSMOPOLITANISM AND ITS IMPLICATIONS
cosmopolitanism becomes especially important from the perspective of the different developing
nations on the score of the cultural, social, political, economic and other benefits that they stand
to gain through the effective usage of the concerned process. The aim of this paper is to
undertake a literature review on the implications of cosmopolitanism for the different developing
nations.
2.0 Concept of Cosmopolitanism
According to Baillie Smith, Thomas and Hazeldine (2019), the word ‘cosmopolitanism’
is derived from the ancient Greek word “kosmopolitēs” which literally means “citizens of the
world” and this had been used over the years for the purpose of describing or highlighting a wide
array of views related socio-political as well as moral philosophy. Adding to this, Windle and
Maire (2019) have noted that in the nebulous core of diverging beliefs shared by the individuals
regarding the concept of cosmopolitanism one thing on which all the individuals agree upon is
that regardless of the political background, social or cultural background of the individuals they
are citizens of a single community and thereby they should feel at home with the world. More
importantly, over the years it had been seen that the different philosophers have tried to offer an
interpretation of the concerned concept which in turn had given rise to the moral norms, ethical
considerations and others that needs to be followed for the usage of the concept under discussion
here (Sobré-Denton 2016).
The Stoics believed in the idea that the identity of an individual should not be defined by
the place or their birth or their residence rather each of the individuals should be treated as
citizens of the world (Cabrera 2018). On the other hand, Kant argued for the creation of a
cosmopolitan structure through which the individual rights or for that the human rights of the

4COSMOPOLITANISM AND ITS IMPLICATIONS
individuals needs to be safeguarded (Faulkner 2017). However, in the recent times it had been
seen that the concept of cosmopolitanism had come under a substantial amount of criticism by
virtue of its association with Eurocentric perspective and in order to overcome this Frantz Fanon
came forward with the concept of post-colonial cosmopolitanism (Bhambra and Narayan 2016).
For instance, Fanon argues that the forged from the spaces of colonialism’s contradictions,
emphasizes global citizenship and humanism but strives to remember rather than repress the
history of modern empire (Kössler 2018). Thus, it can be said that an important strength point of
this form of cosmopolitanism seeks to highlight the contradictions associated with colonialism
and also the failure of Europe to realize the ideas which it initially proclaimed it would attain
through colonialism. However, at the same time it needs to be said that an important weakness of
this form of cosmopolitanism is that its sole focus is on the aspect of colonialism and thereby it
overlooks the other important factors which affect cosmopolitanism (Hayden 2017). It is in the
backdrop of these aspects that the implications of cosmopolitanism would be analyzed for the
different developing nations.
3.0 Cosmopolitanism and the Developing Nations
Zürn and De Wilde (2016) are of the viewpoint that the concept of cosmopolitanism
becomes especially important from the perspective of the different developing nations on the
score of the inadequate growth or development that they have attained over the years in
comparison to the developed nations. Adding to this, Kenny (2016) has noted that ineffective
growth or the development that the developing nations had attained makes it very difficult for the
citizens of these nations to feel citizens of the entire world or for that matter at home with the
entire world. In addition to these, an important goal of cosmopolitanism is the creation of a
single community wherein the individuals would have the right to cultural expression and would

5COSMOPOLITANISM AND ITS IMPLICATIONS
also be treated morally and ethically (Rovisco 2016). However, the subjugation that the majority
of the developing nations had faced on the score of colonialism had led to the subversion of their
cultural or social history and the European nations rather than achieving the goals with which
they undertook colonialism merely indulged in the exploitation of these nations (Lewis 2018).
These in turn had given rise to the condition wherein it is seen that the citizens of the developing
nations are no longer being able to feel at home with the developed nations or for that matter to
even identify themselves as the citizens of the world.
4.0 Implications of Cosmopolitanism for the Developing Nations
4.1 Cultural Implications
According to Davenport (2018), the freedom of cultural expression is an important aspect
of cosmopolitanism however in the wake of colonialism it had been seen that the individuals
from the developing nations had been deprived of this basic right. Adding to this, Kössler (2018)
has noted that the cultural traditions, values, beliefs and the other related aspects of the people of
the developing nations had been substantially subverted in the wake of colonialism and also
globalization. This in turn along with cultural differences had created an aloofness among the
people of the developing nations with respect to the traditions or the culture which is being
followed within the developed nations and thereby makes it very difficult for them to feel at
home in the developed nations (Moellendorf 2018). More importantly, this had also limited the
desire of these individuals to feel themselves as citizens of the entire world rather than just the
nation to which they belong. Thus, it can be said that in order to effectively take the help of the
concept of cosmopolitanism these individuals need to forego the suppression that they have
undergone and embrace the present global culture while retaining their own unique cultural

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tradition. This in turn would enable them to become citizens of the world or feel at home with
the world. In this relation, it needs to be said that an important strength point of cosmopolitanism
from the perspective of the different developing nations is the fact that it would help the people
from these nations to attain cultural integration and also improve the quality of their life by
becoming cosmopolitans (Kenny 2016). However, at the same time it needs to be said that an
important weakness associated with the same is that it would mean the people from the
developing would have to modify or change the cultural traditions that they had been following
since the traditional times (Hayden 2017).
4.2 Political Implications
Skrbiš and Woodward (2016) are of the viewpoint that the different developing nations
are characterized by their unstable political climate which in turn makes it very problematic for
the citizens of the concerned nations to identify themselves as the citizens of those nations.
Adding to this, Bhambra and Narayan (2016) have noted that the colonialism that the majority of
the developing nations experienced had left an indelible mark of their political systems and it is
seen that the majority of these nations have even failed to offer the basic rights or for that matter
to safeguard the human rights of their citizens which the people of the developed nations have
access to. Furthermore, the political rift that the developing nations share with the developed
nations also makes it problematic for the people of the concerned nations to have global
citizenship wherein while exercising their political or human rights freely they would also be
able to express their political thoughts or ideas effectively (Moellendorf 2018). Thus, judging
from the perspective of the developing nations, political cosmopolitanism becomes important for
the people of the developing since while helping them to feel as the citizens of the world it would
also enable them to feel at home with the world in every part of the planet and this is an

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important strength point of cosmopolitanism from the perspective of the developing nations.
However, an important weakness associated with the same can be attributed to the fact that due
to this the focus of the people is likely to shift more towards global citizenship from national or
state citizenship which in turn can adversely affect the nations or the states (Kössler 2018).
4.3 Economic Implications
As discussed by Faulkner (2017), economic inequality is an important part of the
different developing nations and when the economic gulf among the different people in the
developing nations is being taken into consideration the situation becomes grimmer. Adding to
this, Windle and Maire (2019) have noted that the economic depravity that the people within the
developing nations face makes it difficult for them to feel a part of their own nation forget about
being a citizen of the entire world. Furthermore, the difference in the currency system, market
structure and other aspects makes the picture even graver. Thus, for the attainment of the concept
of economic cosmopolitanism it becomes important to create a global market with a global
currency which in turn while helping the individuals to feel as citizens of the world would also
reduce the economic depravity experienced by them as well. In this relation, it needs to be said
that an important strength point of economic cosmopolitanism is that it would substantially
improve the economic condition of the people from the developing by enhancing the mobility
within the global economic system through the usage of the concepts of free market, global
currency and others the absence of which over the years had been the root causes of economic
gulf between the different nations of the world (Baillie Smith, Thomas and Hazeldine 2019).
However, at the same time it needs to be said that an important weakness of this is that it would
adversely affect the national economy of the majority of the developed nations which in turn
would adversely affect the entire global economy (Skrbiš and Woodward 2016).

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5.0 Literature Gap
The researcher while undertaking an initial literature search on Google Scholar found that
a substantial amount of research work had already been done on the philosophical aspects of
cosmopolitanism, its different attributes, its implications for the developed nations and others.
However, at the same time it needs to be said that the researcher was being able to find very few
scholarly peer-reviewed articles on the implications of cosmopolitanism for the developing
nations. It is precisely this particular literature gap that the researcher intends to overcome this
particular study. More importantly, the future researchers would have the opportunity to use this
research as a framework for conducting future research on similar or related topics.
5.1 Summary
To sum up, cosmopolitanism is an important concept which had formed the central
lacuna of numerous philosophical and political debates since the traditional times. More
importantly, the above study clearly indicates that cosmopolitanism has important implications
for the developing nations by virtue of its association with the economic, political and the
cultural framework which is being followed within the same. Furthermore, in order to foster the
feeling of global citizenship and also the feeling of being at home in any part of the world the
developing nations need to take the help of the concept of cosmopolitanism.

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References
Baillie Smith, M., Thomas, N. and Hazeldine, S., 2019. Rethinking Volunteering and
Cosmopolitanism: Beyond Individual Mobilities and Personal Transformations. Geopolitics,
pp.1-23.
Bhambra, G.K. and Narayan, J. eds., 2016. European cosmopolitanism: colonial histories and
postcolonial societies. Taylor & Francis.
Cabrera, L. ed., 2018. Institutional Cosmopolitanism. Oxford University Press.
Davenport, J.J., 2018. A League of democracies: Cosmopolitanism, consolidation arguments,
and global public goods. Routledge.
Faulkner, N., 2017. Motivating cosmopolitan helping: Thick cosmopolitanism, responsibility for
harm, and collective guilt. International Political Science Review, 38(3), pp.316-331.
Hayden, P., 2017. Cosmopolitan global politics. Routledge.
Kenny, S., 2016. Community development today: engaging challenges through
cosmopolitanism?. Community Development Journal, 51(1), pp.23-41.
Kössler, R., 2018. Cosmopolitanism and Reconciliation in a Postcolonial World. In Beyond
Cosmopolitanism (pp. 215-231). Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore.
Lewis, S.M., 2018. Belarus-Alternative Visions: Nation, Memory and Cosmopolitanism.
Routledge.
Moellendorf, D., 2018. Cosmopolitan justice. Routledge.

10COSMOPOLITANISM AND ITS IMPLICATIONS
Nussbaum, M.C., 2019. The cosmopolitan tradition: a noble but flawed ideal. Harvard
University Press.
Rovisco, M., 2016. Cosmopolitanism in practice. Routledge.
Skrbiš, Z. and Woodward, I., 2016. Cosmopolitan openness. In The Ashgate research companion
to cosmopolitanism (pp. 65-80). Routledge.
Sobré-Denton, M., 2016. Virtual intercultural bridgework: Social media, virtual
cosmopolitanism, and activist community-building. New Media & Society, 18(8), pp.1715-1731.
Windle, J. and Maire, Q., 2019. Beyond the global city: a comparative analysis of
cosmopolitanism in middle-class educational strategies in Australia and Brazil. Discourse:
Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 40(5), pp.717-733.
Zürn, M. and De Wilde, P., 2016. Debating globalization: cosmopolitanism and
communitarianism as political ideologies. Journal of Political Ideologies, 21(3), pp.280-301.