ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that cosmopolitanism should be explored on a daily basis amongst ordinary individuals who are not necessarily elites from Western countries. In this regard, it draws on 'everyday cosmopolitanism' as a grounded approach to investigating the lived experience of social actors who negotiate cultural differences in specific situations and spaces of encounter. Furthermore, the chapter proposes moving beyond labelling people merely as cosmopolitan or non-cosmopolitan and explores the struggles and opportunities associated with cosmopolitan engagement in intercultural encounters. Specifically, it begins with an overview of key literature on contact zones. The chapter then investigates the everyday (un)cosmopolitan interactions conducted by migrant individuals in different kinds of contact zones. It examines three factors that articulate with the possibilities for practicing cosmopolitanism to gain an in-depth understanding of the barriers and opportunities that different migrant individuals encounter.
