Being in the world: dialogue and cosmopolis

"It is commonly agreed that we live in an age of globalization, but the profound consequences of this development are rarely understood. Usually, globalization is equated with the expansion of economic and financial markets and the proliferation of global networks of communication. In truth, much more is at stake: Traditional concepts of individual and national identity as well as perceived relationships between the self and others are undergoing profound change. Every town has become a potential cosmopolis--an international city--affecting the way that people conceptualize the relationship between public order and political practice. In Being in the World, noted political theorist Fred Dallmayr explores the globe's transition from the traditional Westphalian system of states to today's interlocking cosmopolitan network. Drawing upon sacred scriptures as well as the work of ancient philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle and more recent scholars such as Martin Heidegger, Hans-Georg Gadamer, and Raimon Panikkar, this book delves into what Dallmayr calls "being in the world," seen as an aspect of ethical-political engagement. Rather than lamenting current problems, he suggests addressing them through civic education and cosmopolitan citizenship. Dallmayr advocates a politics of the common good, which requires the cultivation of public ethics, open dialogue, and civic responsibility."--Publisher's website.

Being in the world: A moving feast -- Cosmopolitanism: In search of cosmos -- After Babel: Journeying toward Cosmopolis -- Humanizing humanity: Education for world citizenship --Ethics and international politics: A response -- Befriending the stranger: Beyond the global politics of fear -- The body politic: Fortunes and misfortunes of a concept -- A secular age? Reflections on Taylor and Panikkar -- Post-secularity and (Global) politics: A need for radical redefinition -- Political self-rule: Gandhi and the future of democracy -- Radical changes in the Muslim world: Whither democracy? -- Opening the doors of interpretation: In memory of Nasr Abu Zayd and Mohammed al-Jabri.