From Nationalism to Cosmopolitanism: The Evolving Interplay Between Ideology and Identity

Abstract

The discussion of nationalism and cosmopolitanism has shifted over time in tune with major trends taking place in the world today. This paper aims to discuss whether it is possible and under what circumstances two such ideologies which appear as antithetical on the surface – can be compatible during the process of globalization. The focus of nationalism are people united with the help of cultural and territorial bonds, which create a familiar and unified unity among them. On the other hand, cosmopolitanism supports a global citizenship that is in contrast to claiming local references with advocacy for liberalism, multiculturalism and world citizenship. This failure of the nation state to solve global problems like the global economic crisis, climate change and war has resulted in renewed focus on cosmopolitan values. This shift is defined by inclined population migration and widespread popularity of innovative technology and social media platforms that enable cross-cultural interaction and necessitate the development of new cultures that can be referred to as transnational. But, when globalization has made nationalism the key issue of today's politics, it shows that local patriotism does conflict as well as interfere with the global obligation of today's political regulations. In this article the author submits that a historical approach is needed in analysing the relationship between nationalism and cosmopolitanism, as the two may be complementary in an increasingly globalized world. Our position in this case is that such identities can be combined or a middle-level identity can be developed, where an individual can be patriotic but still uphold cosmopolitan values. At the same time, it can also be seen at the level of identity construction and as a result, impacts politico-discursive formations and features of global politics in contemporary globalised contexts. As such, this study hopes to advance existing literature in the exploration of identity processes in response to globalization threats by analysing the historical backdrop and current studies.