PROXIMITY POLITICS

Abstract

'Proximity politics' refers to a certain set of new political–cultural problems and issues that the globalization process confronts us with. Specifically it refers to the sort of engagements globalization entails as it draws us all closer together: both 'structurally', via the complex institutional interconnections of globalization, and 'phenomenologically' via the sort of experienced proximity that is provided in time-space bridging technologies – particularly communications and media technologies. The article contends that this 'relational closeness' – in a complex set of interactive modalities which do not abolish, but, in some contexts, actually intensify cultural differences – presents its own distinct order of politics. It attempts to map some of this emergent terrain, focusing on some recent debates about cosmopolitanism . Here it explores, for instance, problems of conflicting cultural-political principle thrown up by the structural impact of enforced proximity: principles of universalism and humanism vs the demands of cultural difference; ethical interventionism vs the principle of sovereignty; 'global governance' vs the claims of localism. It concludes, optimistically, by suggesting that the grosser fears of incompatibility of such principles may often be exaggerated and that there is, in fact, a good deal of room for (at least theoretical) manoeuvre on the emergent terrain of cosmopolitan politics.

Keywords:

• Globalization
• Cosmopolitanism
• Cultural Difference
• Universalism
• Global Governance