Cosmopolitan Elites: Indian Diplomats and the Social Hierarchies of Global Order

Cosmopolitan Elites is a book that explores the birth, everyday life, and fracturing of a Western-dominated global order from its margins. It offers a critical sociological examination of the elite Indian Foreign Service and its members, many of whom were present at the founding of this order. Kira Huju explores how these diplomats set out to remake the service in the name of a radically anti-colonial global subaltern, but often ended up seeking status within its hierarchies through social mimicry of its most powerful actors. The book examines how Indian diplomats learned to live under a Westernized world order and offers a sociologically grounded reading of what might happen in spaces like India as the world transitions past Western domination. It also asks what the experience of historically marginalized actors inside the diplomatic club tells us about the social hierarchies of race, class, religion, gender, and caste under global order.

Format: Hardback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 28 November 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Cosmopolitan Elites delves into the origins, daily existence, and unraveling of a Western-dominated global order from its periphery. It provides a critical sociological analysis of the elite Indian Foreign Service and its members, many of whom played pivotal roles in establishing this order. Kira Huju explores how these diplomats aimed to transform the service into a radically anti-colonial global subaltern, yet often found themselves seeking status within its hierarchical structures through mimicry of its most powerful actors. This book explores the complexities of belonging, revisiting the criteria for recognition within international society and shedding light on the experiences of historically marginalized actors within the diplomatic club. By interrogating the ways in which Indian diplomats adapted to a Westernized world order, it offers a sociologically grounded perspective on what might unfold in spaces like India as the world transitions beyond Western dominance.

A delicate dance unfolds as India's cosmopolitan diplomats navigate the intricate process of order-making: while they genuinely aspire to create a postcolonial world grounded in diversity, difference, and the symbolic representation of a global subaltern, a lingering caricature-like notion of a white, European-dominated homogenous club persists, to which Indian diplomats feel a deep-rooted and colonially ingrained desire to belong. Cosmopolitanism operates within this balancing act, not as an international ethic upholding an equal, tolerant, or liberal global order, but rather as an elite aesthetic that presumes cultural compliance, diplomatic accommodation, and social assimilation into Western norms.

Drawing from 85 in-depth interviews with Indian diplomats, politicians, and foreign policy experts, Cosmopolitan Elites offers a rich and nuanced account of the complex dynamics shaping India's foreign policy. The book sheds light on the challenges faced by Indian diplomats as they navigate a global landscape dominated by Western powers. It explores how they negotiate the tensions between their cultural heritage and the demands of a cosmopolitan world, while also grappling with the pressures of domestic politics and the interests of powerful external actors.

Through its insightful analysis, Cosmopolitan Elites provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between globalization, identity, and power. It challenges the notion that cosmopolitanism is solely a Western phenomenon and highlights the ways in which it operates as an elite aesthetic that shapes the behavior and attitudes of diplomats and policymakers across the world. The book offers a timely and thought-provoking contribution to the study of international relations and global politics, offering a fresh perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing India and other countries as they navigate the complex and rapidly changing world order.

Weight: 678g
Dimension: 165 x 244 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198874928