Locating Cosmopolitan Democracy in the Theory-Praxis Nexus

This article seeks to contextualize the concept of cosmopolitan democracy. Following a brief account of cosmopolitan thought as it relates to the idea of democracy, it focuses more closely on David Held's work over the last two decades. It then examines the role of the theory-praxis nexus in the parallel development of democratic theory and democratic practice at the global level. Held's work on cosmopolitan democracy reminds us that theory may prove useful even when it has to remain detached from existing practice for a long time for the simple reason that democratization on massive scales (more specifically, democratization of global governance) may have to benefit from possibilities rather than actualities.