On Sunday, October 29, 2017, City Center held the October seminar on the topic of "Global Citizenship".

As part of the seminar, Dr. Yossi Harpaz from the Department of Sociology spoke about "Western citizenship as a global resource", after which Dr. Miri Yamini from the School of Education spoke about "Global Citizenship in the Urban Space". Event was held in Hebrew.

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Impressions of the seminar

After the lectures, which illustrated inequality in movement in space - the hierarchy of citizenships on the world map, in Harpaz's lecture, in combination with the complex reality of the education system, in London and Tel Aviv, in Yamini's lecture. A discussion that followed the lectures involved questions on the moral standard, economic and educational aspects in a global era of urbanism and of multiple citizenships: Citizenship as an economic resource, the pursuit of better citizenship, education and values ​​in a city that has residents with different citizenships.

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In the 21st century, for the first time in history, most of the world's population lives in cities; And for several years, in the last decade, it seemed that the city took the place of the state. Therefore, what is the correct conclusion for a seminar on a global era of immigration and nationalism, on cosmopolitan life in the city without personal identification with citizenship, on urban and class identity versus national belonging? Perhaps a social-democratic summary, responding to the quote from Marx with which Harpaz opened the seminar.
 

The new urban middle class

The new urban middle class. This is a possible title for the seminar: the word "new" in the title hints at the subject of "new cities", a kind of mystery about large and efficient cities, highway lovers and housing estates made by mold. If the construction is uniform or on a less human scale, for the sake of efficiency, why should the tenant care in which city he is. If the founding principle is "cost-benefit ratio", what makes the city unique? All over the world, including the municipality of Tel Aviv, community initiatives are being pursued. The cities of the world are full of "place making" initiatives. This is the answer to the political economy, and perhaps it is a new economy, due to lack of choice, because many, and especially many young people, have nothing to lose.

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If we go back to the two lectures, after examining the findings, and being revolted by the findings, the hope must arise that the citizens of the world who make up the "new urban middle class" will find similarities between cities thanks to bustling and diverse city centers. If there is a similarity between the cities, let it be a similarity that makes the people in them happier, less stressed. If we are all migrant workers - refugees and hipsters and tower dwellers - that we will be indifferent to the differences between the cities not because they are all housing estates and freeways and excessive pressure and speed, but because they all have warm and beating hearts. If it doesn't matter so much which city I live in, because all cities are similar, let it be because of the heart of the city.

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The myth of the city's alienation in the 20th century can soften, a little, with the myth of community woven in the 21st century. More connection, more encounter. More Levinas, more Habermas. Popper is also invited, but he must remember: in the cities she navigates too easily according to the interests of "purchase", "returning purchase", "returning customers", "abandoning customers". Therefore, we must carefully examine the knowledge created, and try to influence what we have the power to change. With the wishes of a huge profit for those with the means, and success in the labor of all the rest, let's try to shape our lives.
 

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Written by Ronit Purian (original text in Hebrew).

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Photo credit: Image by WikiImages from Pixabay