Abstract
This article attempts to correlate Ulrich Beck’s cosmopolitan theory with ‘new cosmopolitanism’, and in so doing clarify the potential of and problems in this theory. Since the 1990s, cosmopolitanism has attracted renewed interest as a theory that deepens our understanding of a highly globalized society. In the discussion of ‘new cosmopolitanism’, cosmopolitanism has been reconfigured critically and reflexively by reflecting upon contemporary contexts from three perspectives:（1）the critique of the dichotomy between the cosmopolitan and the local;（2）the emphasis on actuality; （3）the critique of Eurocentrism. These perspectives can be seen in Beck’s cosmopolitan theory; the first perspective corresponds to his production of a concept, ‘cosmopolitanization’, and the second corresponds to his copious use of the term ‘real’. Concerning the third perspective, although Beck has continuously criticized Eurocentrism, Beck’s cosmopolitan theory has been criticized for being Eurocentric itself. For instance, Bhambra claims that Beck’s cosmopolitanism is Eurocentric because it tends to neglect the history of imperialism and postcolonial entanglements which can be regarded as critical issues for Beck’s theory. Also, Beck’s theory has another issue: he tends to overestimate ‘cosmopolitan reality’ and thereby avoids normative questions such as ‘how we should relate with the other’. To tackle these issues, it is important to adopt postcolonial thinking, to take seriously the differences and historical context, and to tackle normative issues.
