Mondialité et diversité culturelle

This article is a plea for cultural diversity, not guaranteed by the two dominant and opposite forms governing the current process of globalization – abstract universalism and cultural sectarianism. While the former ignores our differences in the name of humanism, the latter proclaims to defend our identities but in fact leads to promoting self-closure and violence. Based on the work of Edouard Glissant, in particular on his concept of “globality”, this article advocates a third way, which equally promotes cultural interpenetration and preservation of local identities. This third way represents both a realistic approach and a utopia. It cannot be achieved without significant effort and phased structural development – from the local to the global – with values stemming from cultural diversity. This article demonstrates that the fate of globality, and that is to say of cultural diversity, depends upon ethical choices every person makes.