Justice without Borders

The cosmopolitan idea of justice is commonly accused of not taking seriously the special ties and commitments of nationality and patriotism. This is because the ideal of impartial egalitarianism, which is central to the cosmopolitan view, seems to be directly opposed to the moral partiality inherent to nationalism and patriotism. In this book, Kok-Chor Tan argues that cosmopolitan justice, properly understood, can accommodate and appreciate nationalist and patriotic commitments, setting limits for these commitments without denying their moral significance. This book offers a defense of cosmopolitan justice against the charge that it denies the values that ordinarily matter to people, and a defense of nationalism and patriotism against the charge that these morally partial ideals are fundamentally inconsistent with the obligations of global justice. Accessible and persuasive, this book will have broad appeal to political theorists and moral philosophers.

• An original defence of cosmopolitanism from the liberal nationalist position • Argues for a conception of global justice that takes patriotism seriously • Will appeal to scholars of international relations as well as to political theorists

Contents

Preface; 1. Introduction; Part I. Cosmopolitanism: 2. The need for cosmopolitan justice; 3. Conceptions of cosmopolitan justice; 4. Liberalism and cosmopolitan justice; Part II. Nationalism: 5. Nationalism and cosmopolitanism; 6. Equality among nations; Part III. Patriotism: 7. The limits of patriotism; 8. Citizenship and special obligations; 9. Nationality and justice; Conclusion.

Reviews

\'This clear and highly convincing book articulates and defends a plausible version of cosmopolitanism while providing an excellent overview of recent debates.\' Journal of Moral Philosophy

\'This is a solid introduction to cosmopolitanism and its apparent tensions with patriotism and nationalism.\' Thomas W. Pogge, Columbia University

\'… a solid introduction to cosmopolitanism and its apparent tensions with patriotism and nationalism.\' Mind