Cosmolocal is an emerging framework to help conceptualise and organise in ways that encourage global solidarity, networks, and identity while emphasize deep and meaningful local connections and ties. It is both global and local at the same time—it is trans-local.
Michel Bauwens, the founder of the P2P foundation and public intellectual on moving away from extractive systems and towards commons oriented societies, is one of the leading voices on cosmolocalism. Michel has been a resident of Chiang Mai for over 20 years and is an active digi-cnx member. Michel explains a simple way to understand the ethos behind cosmolocal:
Michel suggests creation of institutions that are ‘neither market- nor state-centric, but commons-centric…they are cosmo-local in that they act as the global governance expressions of trans-national productive civic networks’.
Cosmolocal can be an imaginary that goes beyond the binary of global or local. To make a paradigm shift and transcend our multi crises that is governed by the extractive logic of states and markets. Cosmo reimagines the traditional nation state identity and local brings value back into communities and overrides the maximizing logic of capitalist markets.
In our hyperconnected digital world able to communicate, learn, and transact with people from around the world. Yet loneliness, alienation, and depression are growing trends around the world. We may have developed a ‘cloud consciousness’ but grow more disconnected with human consciousness. We have gradually become ungrounded from our land and sense of interconnection with life around us. We have all been raised with extractive institutions and systems that treat natural resources as infinite and incentivize a culture of consumerism and infinite growth. The logic of global supply chains and globalization
For instance, these systems challenges the dominant western perspective of technoscience in which technology is used to reshape or bend nature to human will or desire, or uses technology as a barometer of progress. In contrast, Eastern philosophical tradition, along with many indigenous traditions, sees humans not as separate from nature but deeply intertwined within the cosmos, as one connected whole. Living in harmony with nature or maintaining a connection with the cosmos is not simply an ideas but a fundamental truth or ethical principle. Scholar Yuk Hui offers a philosophical approach he calls Cosmotechnics drawing upon Daoism and Confucianism. The framework is derived from the Confucian concept of Qi 器 (tool) and Daoist concept of the dao 道 (cosmos) as construct for understanding the development of technology in East Asian culture and a model where technology unites us with cosmos (道器合一) as opposed to our current reality where technology often distances us from the cosmos.
With a ‘cosmolocal’ mindset we can begin to cultivate a sense of shared global consciousness and interconnectedness with people from around the world while grounding ourselves in our communities and the land. The most meaningful change takes place at the level of myths, values, and stories. What are the stories and values that ground us back to the earth? According to Australian indigenous scholar Tyson Yunkaputra ‘Land is the most important layer’ and all healthy communities need to be in touch with the land. How do we identify with a planetary identity and with fellow humans around the world while also ground ourselves in our communities and land?
Learn more
https://wiki.p2pfoundation.net/Cosmo-Localism#Drivers_of_change_enabling_cosmo-localism
Since 2020, a fresh wave of nomads and remote workers moved to Chiang Mai due to regional geopolitical factors. The military coup in Myanmar led to many young professionals fleeing the country with many activists, researchers, and journalists choosing to live in Chiang Mai. In China, the aftermath of Zero Covid pandemic restrictions and general economic pressure in major urban cities, many young Chinese are opting to “Run” away from the Mainland, with Chiang Mai a popular destination due to existing socio-economic links with Chinese communities, education opportunities, and digital nomad communities. The Thai government’s recent launch of a visa targeting digital nomads and remote workers may lead to new waves in the future. Research surveying communities shows local economic benefits as well as willingness among digital nomad communities to engage with local groups and communities.
Chiang Mai is home to many local communities (agriculture, humanitarian, and other movements) and well connected to the Cosmos (digitally and spiritually). A recognised hub for digital nomads the city continues to attract a range of digital workers interested in deepening their local networks and interactions. Despite years of sustained activity it remains difficult for digital nomads and other visiting communities to engage meaningfully with local communities. Communities within Chiang Mai, especially in the space of digital issues, are not very well connected with each other.
In October there will be several; Web3 global communities converging in Chiang Mai for “pop-up cities” in the leadup to Ethereum Foundation’s bi-annual Devcon in November in Bangkok. Traditionally Chiang Mai enters “peak” season towards the end of the year when temperatures cool down and local markets, cultural festivals such as Loy Krathong, and other festivities boom pulling in an added influx of visitors of all kinds. Following the announcement of newer relaxed visa policies for dozens of countries and a new ‘digital traveler visa’ there many be more digital nomads and other visitors staying for longer periods of time.
This is an opportunity to create a socio-technical layer for cosmo-local coordination between and create the conditions for residents and communities in Chiang Mai to benefit from the influx of people and the networks, resources, cultures, and ideas they bring, as well as contribute to global discourse, projects, and communities in meaningful and lasting ways.