Solved: LAWS 2105(D&T) Term Paper I Assignment
In the first part of the course we broadly examine two key narratives (or “stories”) of the emergence of human rights. One such narrative focused on the connection between human rights and “cosmopolitanism” as a conceptual framework that both grounds and extends the project of human rights by re-imagining the bounds of moral, political, and potentially legal, communities.
For committed cosmopolitans, like Held and Fine, the cosmopolitan project is necessary both to escape the inevitable violence of a state-centric system governed by war and violence, and to acknowledge the growing collection of shared identities and interests that permeate our increasingly porous state borders.
As Fine, Calhoun and others argue, in recent years cosmopolitanism’s utility and credibility has strained under charges of disconnected idealism; especially in the light of a rise in global inequality, violence, and the re-centering of the state amid the “war on terror”. For many, Kant’s animating dream of global “Perpetual Peace” seems farther away than ever before. For
cosmopolitanism’s more stringent critics, without a more robust materially-grounded “bottomup” cosmopolitanism, it may not only fail to fulfill its practical promise but worse, enable a “kinder-gentler” form of Western imperialism.
Drawing primarily on the articles by Fine, Held, and, crucially, Calhoun (though you may also wish to use/refer to other material from the course or lectures), answer the following question(s):
Is cosmopolitanism necessary for the realization of human rights projects and global social justice? Are the critics of cosmopolitanism right that its liberal biases (e.g. centering “the individual”) undermine its true critical potential, or that such ideals are powerless in the face of state violence? Alternatively, are cosmopolitan ideals more necessary than ever given the recent resurgence of nationalist and isolationist politics worldwide?
In your answer be sure to:
• Explain and evaluate the central features of cosmopolitanism as discussed by each of the authors listed above (Fine, Held, Calhoun). Be sure to discuss the origins of the idea and its historical development. In his conclusion Fine suggest that we need to encourage “cosmopolitan judgement” as a means to establish a “human rights culture” that is neither trapped in idealism nor the formalism of law. What does he mean?
Explain and evaluate the key criticisms discussed by Calhoun. Note that while he is obviously critical of certain elements of cosmopolitanism he nevertheless concludes that “some form of cosmopolitanism is needed”. What is currently missing in cosmopolitanism that limits its potential? Alternatively, if cosmopolitan ideals should be abandoned, what conceptual framework could take its place (if any)?
• Finally, within your paper be sure to explain and discuss Kant’s “cosmopolitan right to hospitality”. Comment on the relevance of this right in our contemporary world. Again, is it more, or less, important today?
Please let me know if you have questions!
*A note on sources and citation: The term paper is imagined primarily as an exploration of some of the course texts in conjunction with the lecture material. It is an analytical, rather than a “research” essay, so marks are not normally awarded for research. You are welcome to consult “outside” or secondary sources if you wish, but this is not required. If you do choose to consult additional sources in the preparation of your paper, you must cite them and include them in the paper’s bibliography. As noted in class, any standard citation style (e.g. APA, MLA, Chicago) is acceptable as long as it is used consistently.