Contradictions of Cosmopolitanism: Impacts on Diversity and Inclusion

Abstract

For quite too long, the West has portrayed itself as the custodian of civilization and civility worthy of emulation by the rest of the world. Such characterisation of itself explains the epoch of European colonialism and the successive Western policies that have not only exponentially underdeveloped the Global South, but also caused an intellectual and cultural inferiority complex. While this debate may not be uniquely unknown, this paper problematises the concept of cosmopolitanism, a long debated idea believed to have originated from the West that has been globalised through colonialism and the Eurocentric international system. This paper explores the dichotomous representation of cosmopolitanism vis-à-vis diversity and inclusion. To place the discussion in perspective, the paper addresses the issue of populism, COVID-19, racism, and refugee crisis to expose several embedded contradictions and inconsistencies. It concludes arguing for a more inclusive and transparent representation of world identities in order to have a fruition of a cosmopolitan world.