Cosmopolitanism on the Border – Case Study of Istrian Peninsula

The interdisciplinary project “Cosmopolitanism on the Border – Case Study of Istrian Peninsula” (KOZIS) will give an overview of two positions – one at the general level of cosmopolitan theory, which is concerned with global social phenomena, and the other at the local level, which is focused on the Istrian peninsula and intercultural practices in daily life. Although the borders themselves are symbolically important for the kind of world view that does not recognize them, this two-level research of cultures and identities is undertaken because it appears as the twenty-first century progresses, cosmopolitanism itself is placed “on the border,” or at a sort of turning point. Therefore, “Cosmopolitanism on the Border – Case Study of Istrian Peninsula” seeks to determine the current state of cosmopolitanism as the foundation for its research, both theoretically—at the level of interdisciplinary reflection—and practically—in the daily lives of people who, although they may not identify as cosmopolitan, engage in a multitude of “cosmopolitan acts” that demonstrate the qualities of universal acceptance. Is the concept of cosmopolitanism impacted by the current state of world politics, which is driven by conflict and disease? Is it possible that the growing surveillance, border closures, and widespread mistrust among communities will cause it to be irrevocably destroyed? Will this prolonged “state of emergency” prompted by “state reasons” redesign our society and our political arrangements in such a way that the idea of solidarity across borders will become not only unattainable, but completely unthinkable? In order to be able to answer these central questions about the future of cosmopolitanism, “KOZIS” will approach them in multiple ways, through the different scientific disciplines – philosophy, history, anthropology, political science, cultural studies; and from two levels – from the top down, from the global level to the regional level, and from the bottom up, from individuals and their communities, to all of humanity, thus uniting the political and humanistic components. Additionally, “Koz-Is” will pay close attention to the “micro-cosmopolitanisms” of the Istrian peninsula, identities created by the centuries-long coexistence of various peoples and cultures, and will study how new migrations (work and war migrations from the East, and those for pleasure from the West) affect their development. Following on, it will be investigated whether the “globalization fear”, which increasingly dominates the political discourse of nation states, is also present at this lower, regional level. Ultimately, the central question of this research will be whether cosmopolitanism, which since ancient times advocates that borders are not important and that all people share common properties that should be generally recognized, has a place in the new global-political climate of building border walls, economic wars and escalating military conflicts – or has this idea again been left to “oblivion”? Members of the Pilar Institute project team: Ph.D. Marin Beroš, research associate Ph.D. Maja Mandić, research associate MSc. Tatjana Tomaić, expert associate in science External members of the project team: Ph.D. Katja Hrobat Virloget, associate professor, University of Primorska, Koper Ph.D. Alen Tafra, assistant professor, Juraj Dobrila University in Pula Ph.D. Samanta Paronić, Juraj Dobrila University in Pula​Ph.D. Marino Martinčević, Museum of Poreč