The citizen and globalisation

• Authors: Markiewicz B. A.
• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

EN

The placing of the concept 'citizen' in the context of globalisation makes it possible to approach it using the category of 'cosmopolitism' and the related dispute between the advocates of 'pluralism' and those of 'hegemony'. In the debates on cosmopolitism, the transition from the classic concept of 'citizen' to that of 'citizen of the world', or cosmopolite, is generally regarded as something obvious, just as is its territorial extension. The concept of the citizen thus becomes transcendental and virtual. Usually its Greek roots are pointed to, as 'cosmo-polites'\ is derived from the word osmos', an ordered world, the universe and 'polites', a citizen. The historians of concepts are, however, right to point out that in its original form, that is, among the cynics and the stoics, the word 'cosmopolites' was understood in a philosophical and moral rather than in a political sense. It was a deliberate rejection of 'polis' as a specific place and a specific political order, in favour of a universal space and natural law. Humans, as inhabitants of the universe, are subject only to the authority of the world-penetrating 'logos', the principles and laws with which they were able to become acquainted by applying their own rationality; this very capability was an obligation to observe those principles and laws and to comply with them. Because of its very nature, the concept of a 'cosmopolite' is thus apolitical, or, in other word, not uncitizen-like.

Keywords

EN

COSMOPOLITAN CITIZENSHIP; COSMOPOLITISM; GLOBAL DEMOCRACY; GLOBALISATION

Discipline

• PHILOSOPHY: PHILOSOPHY

• Publisher: Institute of Political Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences and Centre for Political Thought
• Journal: Civitas. Studia z filozofii polityki (Civitas. Studies on politics philosophy)
• Year: 2007
• Issue: 10
• Pages: 191-203
• Document type: ARTICLE

Contributors

author

Markiewicz B. A.

• B. A. Markiewicz, Uniwersytet Warszawski, Instytut Filozofii, ul. Krakowskie Przedmiescie 3, 00-047 Warszawa, Poland

Identifiers

CEJSH db identifier

08PLAAAA03777569