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C H A P T E R Cosmopolitanism and Identity Politics In Which Rodrigo and I Meet on the Inspection Team "Good timing/ ' I commented t o Rodrig o a s we waited t o hai l a cab in front o f the airport. "I' m glad we managed t o coordinate ou r arrivals." "Me, too," said my young friend. "Ho w was your flight?" "Fine. And yours?" "I barely mad e it . La z had t o driv e m e t o th e airport . W e wer e talking, and I lost track of the time." "That was quite a conversation we had last time," I said. "Despite his cheerful demeanor , Laz knows how to spin a dark tale."l "That he does," Rodrigo agreed. "And the disturbances that broke out in California, an d the referenda being voted on right now across the nation restricting immigration, welfare, and citizenship all show that Laz's prediction is right on pace.2 Here's one." We gav e th e drive r th e address , an d a s h e starte d up , Rodrig o commented, "D o you realize this is one of the law schools I applied to for my LL.M. just a few years ago? And here we are on the AALS site inspection team for their reaccreditation." 3 "I didn't kno w that, " I said. "Bu t I'm gla d you wound u p wher e you did . It let us get acquainted. Plus , you met Giannin a tha t way , too, didn't you?" 130 5 Cosmopolitanism and Identity Politics 13 1 "I did. It worked out well all around. Just like our flights." "And this inspection team. I must confess, though, I accepted the assignment only when they told me who was on the committee. I've served o n s o many o f thes e it' s los t it s appeal . But when I learned you were on this one, I changed my mind. Ever since you took tha t job in th e Midwest, w e see each other al l too infrequently. Look — that must be the court building." "District court, " th e cabbi e said . "That' s wher e the y trie d tha t serial killer last month. They had press coming in from everywhere. " After a shor t bu t enlightenin g exchang e wit h th e cabbie , wh o turned out to be an amateur crim e buff, o n juror selection, forensi c evidence, and the after-hours habit s and tipping practices of journalists compare d t o lawyers , Rodrig o turne d bac k t o m e an d said : " I agree. It is al l to o infrequent . I keep wishin g you' d ge t o n E-mail , Professor. You're one of only a few of my friends who isn't. It's really easy to learn and saves on the phone bill." I was about to say something about old dogs and new tricks when the drive r asked : "Wil l yo u gentleme n b e needin g hel p wit h you r bags?" "Oh, we're here. That was fast!" We paid th e driver , carrie d ou r bag s inside , an d fiftee n minute s later were sitting in the hotel's nearly deserted coffee sho p admiring the view. "Quite a skyline, isn't it?" I asked. "It is. Reminds me a little of Milan's." "You are a cosmopolitan person, " I said. " I keep forgetting ho w well travele d yo u are . Which remind s me . I was abou t t o as k yo u something—if yo u have the time. Do you need to call Giannina?" "She ha s he r aerobic s clas s thi s evening . W e agree d I' d call" — Rodrigo looked at his watch—"about a n hour from now . What's on your mind?" "I was reading about a new critique of identity politics—what you and I would call civil rights. It's based on the idea of cosmopolitanism and takes a number of forms. Since you are an extremely cosmopolitan person, Rodrigo, I wondered what you would think of it." "Do you mea n th e ide a tha t focusin g o n one' s narro w ethni c o r national identit y i...

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