ABSTRACT

This chapter attempts to disentangle the violence that is embedded in nationalism. It proposes cosmopolitanism as a promoter of a global peace. The restrictive political philosophy of nationalism cannot take hold without the contribution of the foreigner. Nationalism is either internally inconsistent or willingly mistreats the foreigner as the emblematic other. Singular identity, the failure to recognize institutions as agents that significantly affect aspects of our lives, and the promotion of nationalism are some of the tools we use to establish otherness. These instruments tend to create ‘othernesses’ that found violence and are ultimately inconsistent with global peaceful coexistence. We would benefit from a revision of these exclusionary tendencies, and from adopting a robust cosmopolitanism. The theory and practice of nonviolence benefit from embracing hospitality and cosmopolitanism.