Critical Theory and contemporary new challenges: globalization, cosmopolitanism and democracy

Abstract

During the last decades the field of social theory has seen the significant increase in the number of reflections on globalization and cosmopolitanism. Among the many efforts in this direction, the work of authors associated with critical theory, such as Jürgen Habermas, Nancy Fraser, Seyla Benhabib and Craig Calhoun, stand out. This article aims to analyze how these thinkers have approached these issues, showing how their recent work, despite differences, bear resemblances in that they seek to understand dialectically, in light of critical theory, the processes of globalization and intensifying cosmopolitanism in recent years. We intend to demonstrate that their reflections on these themes contribute to a critical perspective on cosmopolitanism and globalization, yet without leading to a rejection of a universal, democratic and emancipatory project.