This anthology sheds new light on cosmopolitanism and culture in the contemporary world.
Drawing on postcolonial ethnic and critical race studies as well as recent literary and
critical theory it demonstrates that new cosmopolitan thinking can embrace an awareness of
ethnic and local differences. It disputes the utopianism of colorblind universalism and argues
for the persistence of race and racialized thinking in lived experience. The essays collected
in this volume valorize minoritarian perspectives and urge readers to rethink cosmopolitanism
from the perspective of the underprivileged and marginalized and highlight the role of culture
in mobilizing social empathy and solidarity with the world's precariat. The contributors who
come from over a dozen different countries and from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds
constitute a vibrant cosmopolitan community in itself.
