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Colonialism, Nationalism and Cosmopolitanism of Rabindranath Tagore

Srobana Bhattacharya
Department of Political Science Southern Illinois University, Carbondale

January 2009

Abstract
Cosmopolitanism and nationalism are generally seen as opposed to each other. In this paper I discuss that these two concepts are related and cosmopolitanism grows out of the other. The core argument of this paper focuses on changing perceptions of nationalism, especially from the particular to the universal and seeks to understand how this development contains a cosmopolitan vision. I approach this topic through the ction and prose of Rabindranath Tagore; specically his critique of nationalism and his advancement of internationalism. I argue that his concept of internationalism - located in the interactions of colonial and post-colonial, East and West, tradition and modernity - contains the seeds of cosmopolitanism. For him, independence lay both in denunciation of imperialism and the retention of the channel of learning and exchange. It is in Tagores double-move that the roots of cosmopolitanism are clearly evident. A central task of this paper is to make this pattern explicit, underscoring the interface between dierent nations which Tagore terms as internationalism.

1 Introduction
Cosmopolitanism begins from Diogenes the cynics famous dialogue - I am the citizen of the world. Rooted in ancient Greek philosophy, this groundbreaking concept is a very signicant one in contemporary political theory. Rising from the basic premise that humanity belongs to a single moral community, cosmopolitanism appeals to universal reason and treats individuals as similar units with equal consideration irrespective of their particular nationality and citizenship (Tan, 2004, p.1) The term is representative of various progressive ideas and new perspectives that are relevant to the present era of culturally criss-crossed and politically plural times (Cohen and Vertovec, 2002 p.4). Cosmopolitanism attempts at transcending the nation-state and depicts an orientation both to the universal and particular, the global and the local. It also represents complex patterns of allegiance, identity and interest (Cohen and Vertovec, 2002, p.4). However, as Andrew Vincent (2000) mentions that universalism and particularism have been prominent themes in the discussion of cosmopolitanism. In moving from the particular to the universal, cosmopolitanism represents the most critical alternative to the logic of particularity (p.12).

Cosmopolitanism however, must be understood in relation to a family of concepts like the nation, nationalism, culture and identity. Nationalism with its various dimensions and approaches remain a much debated topic. Early conceptions of nationalism were marked by an exclusive and particularistic vision represented in bounded self, society, state and nation. However, the recent scholarship has disrupted unitary notions of nationalism, emphasizing a shift from the exclusive to a more inclusive one. This disruption and dispersion is framed by terms such as inter- culturalism, cross-culturalism, transnationalism and post-nationalism. These concepts have brought considerable uidity to traditional notions of nationalism - a move from exclusiveness to more permeable notions of exchange and interaction. This paper unravels certain aspects of nationalism - its changing dimensions in the present era from exclusive to more inclusive patterns. Much of the literature on cosmopolitanism sets it up as opposed to nationalism. Instead of seeing them as opposed, I contend that there are complex and intricate relationship between cosmopolitanism and nationalism. The core argument of this paper revolves around the changing concepts of nationalism and seeks to understand how this development initiates a cosmopolitan vision. I approach this topic through the ction and prose of Rabindranath Tagore; specically his critique of nationalism and his advancement of internationalism. I, further argue that his concept of internationalism - located in the interactions of colonial and post-colonial, East and West, tradition and modernity - contains the seeds of cosmopolitanism. Instead of seeing nationalism and cosmopolitanism as opposed, Tagore shows how one grows out of the other. Of particular interest is how he perceives colonialism as a two way process. Taking the context of British colonialism in India, Tagore observes that on one hand colonialism steers nationalism into becoming imperialistic, but on the other hand colonialism also presented a chance through which West came to be experienced by India and thereby introduced a channel of learning and exchange. Extreme forms of nationalism as espoused and used in Indias struggle for independence are ultimately self-defeating. Tagore perceives nationalism as a purely western construct and warns against the extreme frenzy of nationalism that merely reproduces the Western mould. For him, independence lay both in denunciation of imperialism and the retention of the channel of learning and exchange. It is in Tagores doublemove that the roots of cosmopolitanism are clearly evident. This aspect of exchange and interaction contained in colonial and post-colonial experience, indicate a cosmopolitan pattern inherent to it. A central task of this paper is to make this pattern explicit, underscoring the interface between dierent nations, which Tagore terms as internationalism. It is pertinent that we have this dierence not to produce conict but in order to have the scope of exchange and learning and a blending and harmony between dierences. Tagores approach to nationalism and internationalism is predominantly ethical and normative, where individuals are located in a universal domain and their sense of belonging is justied by his right to moral justice. Cosmopolitan vision based on universal humanism and ethical reason-

ing resonates with Nussbaums approach, who observes that with respect to fundamental moral values such as justice -we should regard all human beings as our fellow citizens and local residents.(Nussbaum, 1997, p.53) and this she locates in Tagores cosmopolitanism which according to her is an intermixing of Bengali traditionalism and Western cosmopolitanism, giving rise to what she calls internationalist cosmopolitanism. She further situates this cosmopolitanism in Tagores literary work The Home and the World and sees it as a story of education for world citizenship (Ray, 2000, p. 124) based on which she reects that a pedagogical approach is the best possible way towards attaining cosmopolitanism. However, this pedagogical approach of cosmopolitanism as presented by Nussbaum pays scant attention to the historical and specic context of colonialism under which this nationalist discourse was written. The point of departure in this paper thus, is to underscore the colonial and post-colonial context in which Tagore locates cosmopolitanism and highlights the interplay between colonialism and nationalism as a two-way process of learning and exchange. To discuss the contextual understanding of Tagores cosmopolitanism, I compare it with dominant strains of cultural nationalism in the rst section of this paper. I briey discuss Anderson, Gellner and Geertzs respective approaches. This discussion allows us to understand the patterns of western nationalism and the exclusiveness of nationalism. In the second part, I introduce Tagores interpretation of nationalism in the context of colonialism and nationalism in India. Further, I present a detailed analysis of Tagores critique of Western nationalism, anti-colonial nationalist movement in India and discuss his conceptualization of internationalism and possible ways to attain it. In the concluding section I establish how a clear link is established between cosmopolitanism and Tagores interpretation of internationalism.

2 Nationalism: the xed boundaries


Cultural nationalism contains various dimensions in understanding conceptions of group particularity. The beginning of nationalist theory in the early nineteenth century was marked by the understanding of positive socio- political dimensions of nationalism. However, events in mid-twentieth century portrayed a totalitarian and particularistic version of nationalism. These particularistic and exclusive dimensions of nationalism are clearly visible when nationalism is portrayed as a cultural construct. Nationality, nation-ness and nationalism are presented as forms of cultural artifacts (Anderson,1983; Geertz 1993; Gellner, 1993). This approach locates nationalism as a homogenous unit in the spacio- temporal dimension. In Imagined Communities(1983), Anderson speaks about how a deep horizontal comradeship is created through the span of homogenous empty time as imagined communities spread a homogenizing eect and lends a collective identity to people belonging to a same nation and sharing the same culture. Nationalism, according to Anderson arose when three other cultural concepts started losing their signicance. Secular transformation marked the

alteration of the religious community and fatality came to be replaced by continuity. Communities started questioning their membership to the religious community as well as the sacred language. Changes in the dynastic realm marked another signicant element. The concept that society is organized around high centres began to wane. Third was the importance of temporality and the modern notion of homogenous empty time. The universal movement through calendrical time showed how solid communities moved through history. These three changes brought in a shared consciousness of a shared temporal dimension. Imagined Communities depicts a modular vision of nationalism, a similar pattern inherent to it. However, Anderson does not focus on the colonial and post- colonial contents of nationalism in detail and neither does he elaborate the relation between colonialism and nationalism. To ll in this gap I turn to Geertz, who touches upon this post-colonial construct of nationalism and shows how it builds upon the primordial sentiments. For Geertz, primordial attachments that are located in religion, kin, language, customs and tradition are assumed givens in each culture and nation. This primordialism, particular to a place and culture translates into nationalism. Adding a political dimension to the cultural construct Geertz discusses the fate of nationalism and locates it within the post colonial experiences of the new states. The tremendous force and great political emotion, upon which the independence movement was built, will continue to remain as a formidable force. Nationalism still remains as the major collective passion in most states (Geertz, 1973, p. 237) which in its turn will heighten the power imbalance between the new states and the West. This nationalism within the new states arose out of a conict and still remains locked in that conict which revolves around overpowering the colonial power rather than building up of a constructive self. The nationalist ideology, according to Geertz was built out of symbolic forms drawn from local tradition that is termed as essentialist on one hand and on the other hand it was built out of forms resulting from general movement of contemporary history which is termed as epochalist (Geertz, 1973, p. 242). This type of nationalism restricts it within conicting parameters, in spite of which nationalism has been a formidable force in bringing about creative changes in history and will continue to do so in future (Geertz, 1973, p.254). Tagore in his critique of nationalism aims at breaking this structured pattern of nationalism and hopes to build it along the lines of co-operation rather than conict. Gellner further, adds an economical dimension to the cultural approach and sees nationalism as an outcome of industrialization and speaks about the cultural homogeneity and standardization as a requirement of the industrialised world. Gellners thesis of nationalism holds that economic change requires cultural homogeneity and this together with the nation is what drives nationalism. States are seen as protectors of High culture and nationalism demands that each state should have one nation. This structural understanding shows how industrialization gives rise to nationalism, which then proceeds to create the nation. However this economical and structural notion is relevant in comprehending the shift from the agrarian to the industrial but pays limited attention to other

historical and social context like colonialism in order to understand broader connotations of nationalism. As compared to these dimensions of cultural nationalism, Tagore makes a departure and tries to locate it through normative and ethical understanding where universal humanity and moral justice remain the focal points. This he places within the colonial and post-colonial context in order to emphasize the role of cultural and political exposure. In the next section I present a detailed analysis of his critique of western nationalism, the interplay of colonial and anti-colonial experience and his notion of internationalism, thereby highlighting the eastern ideological roots to the concept of cosmopolitanism.

3 Tagores analysis of Nationalism


Tagores concept of cultural nationalism presents a clear shift from the exclusive trend of nationalism to a more liberal and universal approach. His understanding of nationalism was inuenced by the British colonial rule in India and the anti-colonial struggle for independence. In addition to this his visits to Europe, Japan, America and Russia were inuential in structuring his concepts. The British rule in India gave him tremendous insight into the socio-political patterns of the West and exposed the narrow connes of self-interest within which the Western nations were restricted. The imperialism contained in the idea of western nationalism had a tendency to create ethno-centric particularism. For Tagore, it was essential that people be able to live, and reason in freedom and this can be attained only, when the self is not in subordination. His attitudes towards politics and culture, nationalism and internationalism, tradition and modernity can all be seen in the light of this belief (Sen,2005, p.98) and wanted to assert Indias right to be independent without denying the importance of what India would learn freely and protably from abroad (Sen,2005, p.99). Tagore wrote at a time when India, was fraught with anti-colonial sentiments and extreme nationalistic fervor. Though he did not live to see an independent India he was always hopeful that the country will attain freedom and often presented a futuristic, post-colonial vision marked by internationalism. In Nationalism (1917), which is a compilation of three essays, Tagore begins by critiquing western nationalism as a kind of materialistic pursuit of power. For him the political and economic dimension of nation in the West blurs out the social and spiritual aspect of being a nation. Nation is nothing but organized self-interest of a whole people, where it is least human and least spiritual (Tagore, 1917, p.15). This compromise of self interest resulting from a combination of greed of wealth and power remains as an impediment in the path of attaining the nal spirit of reconciliation. It thus strives only to create power, which Tagore sees as, the product made in this political laboratory of the Nation through dissolution of personal humanity (Tagore, 1917, p.11). In the name of the nation, the organization of politics and commerce becomes all powerful and disrupts the harmony of higher social life. Nationalism is a cruel epidemic of evil that sweeps over

the human world of the present age and eats into its moral ber. A conict and conquest remains at the heart of western nationalism and its basis is not social co-operation. Thus it is unwilling to open its sources of power to those whom it has selected for its purpose of exploitation (Tagore, 1917, p.22). The symbolisms used to depict nation are nothing but patriotic bragging (Tagore, 1917, p.24) and nation against nation is an endless bullght of politics (Tagore, 1917, p.30). Nationalism in the West is marked by national welfare which constructs a barricade of a universal distrust of humanity and it prevails through teaching people from their boyhood to foster hatred and ambitions of all kinds and means and by persistent misrepresentation of other races and cultures and to have unfavourable sentiments towards them (Tagore, 1917, p. 79). By this process it constructs an abnormal vanity in its own superiority (Tagore, 1917, p. 80) and locates itself in complete isolation from others and thereby goes against the moral law, which is based upon the truth that man becomes all the truer the more he realizes himself in others (Tagore, 1917, p.78). Tagore believes that nations who cultivate this moral blindness as the cult of patriotism will meet with a sudden and violent demise (Tagore, 1917, p.78). The political civilization of the West is engaged in a power play of overrunning the whole world like some prolic weed and is solely based on exclusiveness (Tagore,1917, p. 59). It is most cautious to keep aliens at bay and whenever they see any symptoms of greatness outside its own boundaries their aim is to suppress it and make the weaker eternally xed in their weakness. However, the West was not altogether shrouded in negativity and Tagore had high regard for the positive aspects of the West, which was contained in the spirit of the West. Tagore further mentions that there is a clear divide between the spirit of the West and the nation of the West. The nation of the West, marked by power and selshness was overcoming the spirit of the West which marches under the banner of freedom and completely disregards the existence of a universal standard of justice to which all men irrespective of their caste and color, have equal claim (Tagore, 1917, 18-19). This conict between the spirit of the West and the nation of the West translates into a divide between East and West. The East - West divide is further pronounced by the Wests complete disregard of the East and its opinion that East is East and the West is West and never the twain shall meet (Tagore, 1917, p.20). Deeply distraught about this divide, his appeal is always towards reconciliation and mutual help and a creation of a moral culture of brotherhood. Those who are gifted with the moral power of love and vision of spiritual unity and who do not build up false animosity with aliens will be ttest to survive the present age. This discourse on western nationalism, presents a lens which shows how colonialism becomes a tool to attain these selsh goals of nationalism and proceeds to become imperialistic and completely overshadows the spirit of the West. It is marked by power-craving and war mongering among colonial powers. This in turn led to the struggle for freedom among the colonies, who at the end of the day was keen to replicate the same craving for power and imitate the West, when the need of the day is not imitation but freedom

through reconciliation, denouncing the negative and retaining the positive and opening up of dialogue between the West and East. Tagore is opposed to this idea of strict civilizational demarcation between East and West and opines that it is benecial that West has come to the East, but someone must show the East to the West1

4 Nationalism in Literature
Nationalism, colonialism and a post-colonial vision are recurrent themes in his literary work and his contentions regarding nationalism as presented in his political essays were further articulated through his ctional prose, The Home and the World (Ghare, Baire, 1915) and Gora. The Home and the World explores the dierent dimensions of British colonialism in India and the anticolonial nationalist struggle and attempts at understanding the clash between West and East given the backdrop of colonialism and anti-colonialism. This novel is set during the particular context of partition of Bengal during the colonial era in India and shows how the swadeshi-boycott2 movement generated conicting political discourse. It depicts three strands of nationalist discourse which is articulated by the three protagonists - Nikhil, Sandip and Bimala. Nikhil and Sandip present conicting images of nationalism and Bimala is caught between the two. How Bimala overcomes the power of one to support the other is the process by which Tagore shows the trajectory of nationalism in the colonial context. Nikhil believes that nationalist politics based only on patriotic pride is dangerous and subversive and it goes against the true goal i.e national unity based on worthy ideas of justice and equality (Nussbaum, 1996, p.4). Sandip on the other hand supports aggressive nationalism but the extremism of this aggressive brand of nationalism completely
1

Here, Tagore makes a clear departure from the interpretations of Huntington in The Clash of Civilizations(1996), where civilizations are said to have clear demarcations and particular trends and no conciliation is possible between them. Culture and cultural identities at the broadest level are civilization identities and in the post- Cold War era these civilization identities are crucial in understanding cohesion, disintegration and conict (Huntington, 1996, p.20). For creation of identity and ethnicity, the demarcation between we and the other is essential. This enmity occurs across the fault lines between worlds major civilizations. Cultural commonalities and dierences create separate compartments across the globe, making them permanent source of conict. The dynamics of state behaviour and identity is largely dependent on their cultural identity and divides them due to particularistic trends. The possibility of having a universalizing eect within dierent civilization is never a possibility. Opposed to this Tagore rmly believed that it was pertinent to have a deep association or balance between Wests much needed materialism with the spiritual wealth garnered from the east (Tagore, 1917, p.66). This representation clearly reects a cosmopolitan pattern as inherent in his thoughts.
2

In 1905, under the leadership of Lord Curzon, the partition of Bengal took place. The Swadeshi-boycott movement (non-cooperation movement) took place when the proposal for partition was declared in 1904 and ocially announced in 1905.

alienated the minority section and thereby became very sectarian. Sandip is thus caught up in an elitist version of nationalism and seeks to gain independence of India and personal glory by completely disregarding the true

tradition of India. However, the shallowness contained in his vision surfaces soon and his brand of nationalism goes hopelessly wrong and fails, which reiterates the fact that this ery brand of nationalism has no clue about how to solve deeper malaise contained in the society. Bimala, wife of Nikhil is caught between these two ends and easily gets swayed both by the personality of Sandip and his nationalistic fervor. Only when it fails, she understands the supercial content of it and understands how the blind patriotic nationalism only feeds on frenzy and fundamentalism. Nikhil is portrayed as a true cosmopolite, who nds it extremely dicult to survive with his ideology in the face of nationalistic fervor. Nussbaum locates cosmopolitanism in Nikhil and thereby recognizes Tagores universalist appeal. However, she fails to connect Tagores cosmopolitanism with the colonial context and internationalism. The Home and the World not only locates the cosmopolitan ideal but also portrays it as arising from the colonial context and in addition focuses upon the linkage between nationalism and cosmopolitanism. The subject of nationalism is further explored in his ctional prose Gora. Gora, which means white, is the name of the protagonist because of his fair complexion and extraordinary physique. This story revolves around this fair skinned, rigid Hindu Brahmin youth whose aim was to dedicate his life for the cause of nationalism. However, his nationalistic sentiment was restricted to rituals, symbols and superstitions of Hindu religion and bound within the narrow parameters of being a Hindu. He believed that in being a true Hindu and excluding all other entities, laid the attainment of true nationalism. His world based on these ideals was shattered one day, when his so called parents revealed the fact that he was not a Hindu by birth and all his dedication towards being a true Hindu and thereby a true nationalist was misplaced. In actuality, he was the son of an Irish woman who abandoned him and left. He was later rescued and given this life and shelter. This revelation led Gora to understand the fragility and vulnerability on which he created his ideals till then. The truth gave him the courage to acknowledge that he belonged nowhere and once he realized this, the exclusive Hindu mould within which he located himself vanished and he acknowledged the existence of all other communities. Through his rootlessness, he realized himself in others and his moral blindness gave way to more secular idea of nation and belonging. Gora, represents a secular outlook, one that is essential to attain a balance and harmony between dierences. It further shows that creating narrow parameters within the self is ultimately self-defeating. As Gora evolves into the world bared of his misconceived roots, we nd the evolution of cosmopolitanism. The rootlessness indicates that sense of belonging cannot be conned to narrow strains like being a Hindu or being an Indian. It shows that individual

has the capacity to belong everywhere. These novels are reective of a time when India was desperate to get out of the shackles of colonial dependence and gain freedom. However, in many ways this nationalism as represented through the freedom struggle, somehow bordered around the replication of the Western mould of nationalism, power hungry and self -defeating. It clearly lost focus, giving rise to in- ghting between factions within the nation. These novels were his answer to the disillusionment he had regarding the path that nationalism took in India. Tagore was deeply critical about this extremist version of nationalism and speaks about it at length in his essay Nationalism in India (1917). This extremism aimed at attaining what Sangeeta Ray calls formal decolonization (Ray,2000, p.95) and was based on an importation of a Western model of nationalism that was impervious to the social needs particular to India. This he termed as the bourgeois nationalism, which was sectarian in nature. Ray, mentions how this concept of bourgeois nationalism is similar to Franz Fanons concept, linking bourgeois nationalism to the interest of indigenous elites. However, unlike Tagore, Fanon was not supportive of dismissing the importance of nationalism. For Tagore, on the other hand, this type of nationalism with its sectarian trend was a hopeless endeavor to attain freedom. Tagores concern revolved around the spiritual well being of humanity and thus he did not want parochial spirit of nationalism to take over and was opposed to the militant nationalism as espoused by the majoritarian Hindu ideology. This fundamentalism as depicted by Sandip, in The Home and the World, makes the idea of Nation, one of the most powerful anesthetics that man has invented. Under the inuence of its fumes, the people can carry out its systematic program of the most virulent self seeking without being in the least aware of its moral perversion (Tagore, 1917, pp.25-26). Nationalism is enmeshed within the creation of the idolatry of nation and had no regard for humanity. This is explicit in his writing where he says, It is my conviction that my countrymen will truly gain their India by ghting against the education which teaches them that a country is greater than ideals of humanity (Tagore, 1917, p.111). This numbing of morality was at the bottom of Indias trouble for years and thus Indias political independence had no constructive ideal and the sectarian trend was reected through the conict between dierent parties. India thus suered from looseness of its diversity and the feebleness of its unity (Tagore, 1917, p.115) and this made the country incapable of coping with aliens and made her a victim of other nations. He criticized these nationalists in India because they were not willing to address this feebleness. These nationalists remained under the false impression that India has come to a nal completeness in social and spiritual ideals and are free to employ all activities in the political direction (Tagore, 1917, p.121). For him, Indian civilization should take its rm stand upon its basis of social co-operation and not upon that of economic exploitation and conict (Tagore, 1917, p.129) as was depicted by the character Nikhil in The Home and the World. He believed that it was a sign of impotency to accept conditions imposed upon us by others who have other ideals than

India. His post colonial vision lay in the creation of harmony between the West and the East, tradition and modernity so as to overcome the narrow sectarian self destructive character of nationalism. For Tagore, western nationalism was an evil, which propagates intense consciousness of self-interest concentrated in political organization. Nation represented the political and economic union of people and is not at all human or spiritual and thus had no contribution in strengthening ones humanity and he was very suspicious about the dangers of aggressive nationalism since it brewed very restricted singular notions of loyalty. Such actions lead nations to build enclosures around themselves and for this reason, he despised these narrow domestic walls that became the breeding ground for self interest.

5 Internationalism and Cosmopolitanism


Tagore found the concept of harmonization much more appealing which leads to an adjustment and accommodation rather than exclusion and elimination. So, he always spoke about a healthy assimilation and equilibrium between tradition and modernity, between East and West. This internationalism thus depended largely upon universal humanism and spiritualism which indicated a clear cosmopolitan trend in it and tried to achieve internationalism without nationalism. (Hogan and Pandit, p.38) Tagore was quite correct in pointing out that political freedom oered by the nationalists failed to take into account the internal oppression of the society that was marked by caste and religious cleavages (Ray, 2000, p.98). His emphasis on spiritual well-being of humanity validates his criticisms regarding nationalism. However, he does not oer an alternative to the attainment of freedom as opposed to nationalism. He, himself retreats from the bourgeois sectarian nationalism and later on engaged himself in an endeavor to develop the infrastructure of education in Bengal. Knowledge, for him remained a crucial tool with which unity can be attained. The practical implementation of his thought took place through the establishment of Visvabharati (World University) which he opened in Santiniketan. This was his vision of a cosmopolitan site for education. Though it did not meet with tremendous success as a seat for cosmopolitan learning, the institution has gone a long way in promoting education in Bengal. The post-colonial view which Tagore perceived through exchange and interaction between the East and West, tradition and modernity locates nations as interdependent and open to dialogues, engaged in a dialogue of co-operation rather than conict. Tagore makes a clear departure from the structured understanding of nationalism and thereby brings about the concept of inclusiveness in it. What is clear from his feelings on patriotism and nationalism is disillusionment with the realist trends and anarchic world order into which nations were submerging into. Through his opposition of the western construct of nationalism, he was appealing towards the construction of a more inclusive socio-political structure, one that would be marked by mutual respect and toleration based on co-operation and co-existence within and across dier-

ences. Compartmentalization of nations within specic political boundaries fails to see each nation in the broader context of other nations. This particular worldview remains at the centre of his concept of internationalism. Tagores critique of the extremist nationalist movement in India was indicative of the fact that it lacked true spirit of freedom and was moulded in a fake and supercial quest for power. Apart from liberal strands in his concepts, one can also locate universal humanism in it. In the whole idea of establishing equilibrium between dierent and opposing ideologies, lies an optimism with which new patterns of exchange between nations and culture can take place. This need for synthesis (Sen, 2005, p. 105) indicates a cosmopolitan outlook in his thoughts. The starting point of this cosmopolitan ideology is the criticism of the western construct of nationalism and gradually surfaced further, through his concepts of freedom, spiritual awakening and knowledge, cultural exchange and a hope to establish a healthy exchange between East and West. Tagore wanted Indians to learn what was going on elsewhere, how others lived, what they valued, while remaining interested and involved in their own culture and heritage (Sen, 2005, p.105). Colonialism presented a chance through which West came to be experienced by the Indian populace and though Tagore felt that the imperialist trends of the West should be denounced, he also emphasized the fact that the channel of learning and exchange should not close completely. The new and the good elements contained in the West should be utilized so that Indians can attain emancipation from rigid traditionalism. This interaction between tradition and modernity was always prominent in his thoughts and writings. These notions of inclusiveness, exchange, freedom, interaction, assimilation and accommodation contained in his thoughts regarding nationalism lends a cosmopolitan character to his political philosophy and is very promising for the future establishment of a cosmopolitan internationalism and for Martha Nussbaum who identies knowledge to be an important vehicle for this type of exchange -Tagores ideal can be successfully realized in schools and universities in democracies around the world.

6 Conclusion
Cosmopolitanism espouses universal reason and treats individuals as equals irrespective of their nationality and citizenship. Thus it is closely associated with concepts like nation, nationalism, culture and identity. Literature on cosmopolitanism sets it up as opposed to nationalism. Based on Tagores concept of western nationalism and internationalism, I argue how cosmopolitanism grows out of nationalism and are connected. Cultural nationalism provides the backdrop for understanding the particular context in which Tagores philosophy unfolds. Placing it in the colonial and postcolonial context indicates newer areas through which cosmopolitanism can be understood. What stands out is the connection between nationalism and cosmopolitanism through the discussion of internationalism. Tagores literary works reects this political context and its cultural connotation. His

thesis of internationalism is an appeal to co-operation, which is indicative of the cosmopolitan ideology. Tagores political philosophy has the potential to be translated along pedagogical lines and indicates how positive interactions can take place between nations based on dialogue and exchange.

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