Cosmopolitan localism
Cosmopolitan localism is a social innovation approach to community development that seeks to link local and global communities through resilient infrastructures that bring production and consumption closer together, building on distributed systems.[1]
Cosmopolitan localism fosters a global network of mutually supportive communities (neighbourhoods, villages, towns, cities and regions) who share and exchange knowledge, ideas, skills, technology, culture and (where socially and ecologically sustainable) resources. The approach seeks to foster a creative, reciprocal relationship between the local and the global. Cosmopolitan localism aims to address problems that emerge from globalization—namely, the subsuming of local cultures and economies into a homogenised and unsustainable global system[2][3]—while simultaneously avoiding the pitfalls of localization, such as parochialism and isolationism.[4][5]
Italian social innovation scholar Ezio Manzini describes cosmopolitan localism as having the potential to generate a new sense of place. With cosmopolitan localism, places are not considered isolated entities, but nodes in short-distance and long-distance networks. The short-distance networks generate and regenerate the local socio-economic fabric and the long-distance networks connect a particular community to the rest of the world.[6]
Cosmopolitan localism is topic of focus for transition designers who explore design-led societal transition toward more sustainable futures.[7] Others have argued that cosmolocalism advances alternatives that could potentially undermine dominant capitalist imaginary significations, attitudes and modalities. It can lead the way for a transition towards a post-capitalist, commons-centric economy and society where value is collectively created and accessible to all. In order for cosmolocalism to become more than a blueprint for a mode of production, the autonomy of local communities and individuals is essential.[8]
References
- 1951-, Escobar, Arturo (2018-03-22). Designs for the pluriverse : radical interdependence, autonomy, and the making of worlds. Durham. ISBN 9780822370901. OCLC 983824383.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
- George., Ritzer (2004). The McDonaldization of society (Rev. new century ed.). Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Pine Forge Press. ISBN 978-0761988113. OCLC 53315154.
- When Corporations Rule the World., Korten, David C., Burns, Traber, Audible Studios on Brilliance audio, 2016, ISBN 9781511397162, OCLC 933522026CS1 maint: others (link)
- 1921-2006., Bookchin, Murray (1999). The Murray Bookchin reader. Biehl, Janet, 1953-. Montréal: Black Rose Books. ISBN 978-1551641195. OCLC 41976257.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
- 1935-, Harvey, David (1990). The condition of postmodernity : an enquiry into the origins of cultural change. Oxford [England]: Blackwell. ISBN 978-0631162926. OCLC 18747380.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
- Ezio, Manzini. Design, when everybody designs : an introduction to design for social innovation. Cambridge, Massachusetts. ISBN 9780262328630. OCLC 904398409.
- Irwin, Terry (2015-04-03). "Transition Design: A Proposal for a New Area of Design Practice, Study, and Research". Design and Culture. 7 (2): 229–246. doi:10.1080/17547075.2015.1051829. ISSN 1754-7075.
- Schismenos, Alexandros; Niaros, Vasilis; Lemos, Lucas (2020-09-21). "Cosmolocalism: Understanding the Transitional Dynamics Towards Post-Capitalism". tripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique: 670–684. doi:10.31269/triplec.v18i2.1188. ISSN 1726-670X.
External links
- Manzini, E. (2013) Small, Local, Open and Connected: Resilient Systems and Sustainable Qualities in Design Observer
- Schismenos, A., Niaros, V. & Lemos, L. (2020) Cosmolocalism: Understanding the Transitional Dynamics Towards Post-Capitalismin Triple-C. 18 (2): 670–684.