Cosmos and Hearth: A Cosmopolite's Viewpoint

Hearth, as defined in this erudite, provocative inquiry, means familial warmth, small-scale intimacy, hometown loyalties. Cosmos is the larger reality of society, civilization, world. Tuan, geography professor (Univ. of Wisconsin) and author of Landscapes of Fear-born in China, raised there and in Australia and England-brings a cosmopolitan perspective to his discussion of our need to balance the polarities of hearth and cosmos. The book's centerpiece, a comparative analysis of China and the U.S., touches on the Confucian concept of cosmic harmony, China's centuries-old clash with Tibet, modern China's outward-directed modernization, and American immigrants' struggles against oppression and bias. Championing both the hearth and cities as necessary crucibles of human development, Tuan suggests that we strive for a ""cosmopolitan hearth"" by recognizing the importance of family and local ties while open-mindedly appreciating one's culture without chauvinism or xenophobia. (Mar.)