Re-Imagining Political Community: Studies in Cosmopolitan Democracy - Softcover

" Extending democracy beyond borders is what I advocated throughout my mandate at the UN. This fascinating book tells us that while transnational democracy is still a utopian fantasy, it may be the reality of tomorrow." -- Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Former Secretary-General of the United Nations " The authors of this impressive volume argue that globalization is making it harder for democracies to operate as nation-states. . . . If the challenges of the environment, global security, and economic regulation in the 21st century require new international institutions, this book succeeds in showing that considerations of democracy and accountability cannot stop at the water' s edge." -- "Foreign Affairs" "Extending democracy beyond borders is what I advocated throughout my mandate at the UN. This fascinating book tells us that while transnational democracy is still a utopian fantasy, it may be the reality of tomorrow."--Boutros Boutros-Ghali "Former Secretary-General of the United Nations " "The authors of this impressive volume argue that globalization is making it harder for democracies to operate as nation-states. . . . If the challenges of the environment, global security, and economic regulation in the 21st century require new international institutions, this book succeeds in showing that considerations of democracy and accountability cannot stop at the water's edge."--Foreign Affairs

This book sets out to explore the changing meaning of political community in a world of regional and global social and economic relations. From a variety of academic backgrounds, its authors reconsider some of the key terms of political association, such as legitimacy, sovereignty, identity and citizenship. The common approach of the authors is to generate an innovative account of what democracy means today and how it can be reconceptualized to include subnational as well as transnational levels of political organization. Inspired by Immanuel Kant's cosmopolitan principles, the authors conclude that there are favourable conditions for a further development of democracy - locally, nationally, regionally and globally. Re-imagining Political Community will be welcomed by students of politics, political theory, international relations and peace studies, as well as by those working in international organizations and engaged in transnational activities.