Cosmopolitanism in the Middle East

In: Amsterdam Middle East Papers, 12

Abstract

What is cosmopolitanism and how did and does it operate in the Middle East? How does the term apply to persons, milieus and ideologies? Sami Zubaida argues that cosmopolitanism is connected with certain lifestyles, that cross communal boundaries and stimulate the making of eclectical choices between elements of different cultures. Milieus in which these lifestyles flourish are usually produced by empires which bring together diverse peoples and cultures. Social mobility and the rise of a separate class of intellectuals are other preconditions for the adoption of a cosmopolitan attitude. In this paper Zubaida traces the historical instances of cosmopolitanism in the Middle East, its present condition and future prospects. He demonstrates that it is a rare and highly vulnerable phenomenon that goes against the grain of most modern homogenizing trends in politics and culture. (RECIPE/DÜI)